Endometriosis linked to hundreds of conditions across the body, study finds

Analysis of millions of health records shows endometriosis is connected to more than 600 conditions, including migraines, asthma and digestive disorders.

The research used algorithms to compare medical histories of people with and without endometriosis, confirming known associations and revealing new ones.

Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco examined data from the University of California’s Health Data Warehouse, which holds records for around eight million people from 2012 onwards.

Findings ranged from reproductive and autoimmune disorders to less-discussed conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, asthma and vitamin D deficiency.

Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to those lining the womb grow outside it and on nearby organs.

Umair Khan is a PhD student in the biological and medical informatics programme at UCSF.

Khan said: “We identified hundreds of health conditions significantly associated with endometriosis, ranging from reproductive disorders and autoimmune diseases to migraines, asthma and gastrointestinal conditions.

“Many of these associations were present even before a formal endometriosis diagnosis, and almost half were replicated in an entirely separate dataset.

“We hope this study validates patients’ lived experience that endometriosis often comes with a variety of other health challenges.”

The large-scale approach allowed researchers to include millions of participants, making the study broader than previous research which usually focused on single conditions such as infertility.

Two notable findings stood out.

Women with endometriosis appeared less likely than others to have high cholesterol – which Khan described as “intriguing, given growing interest in statins as a potential treatment for endometriosis.”

Statins are cholesterol-lowering medicines that are also being explored for their potential to reduce the progression and symptoms of endometriosis.

The study also found a strong association with migraines, suggesting the two conditions may share biological pathways. Migraines often appeared in patients’ records before an endometriosis diagnosis.

Experts said the findings reinforce the view of endometriosis as a systemic disease, not just a pelvic disorder.

Inflammation, immune dysregulation and molecular signals such as microRNAs may help explain its widespread effects.

Research also suggests shared genetic pathways could account for links with conditions like migraine.

Clinicians note that understanding endometriosis as a whole-body condition highlights the importance of early recognition and management.

Patients may benefit from anti-inflammatory medicines not only for pain but to reduce broader systemic effects.

Researchers added that big data methods like those used here could help guide more personalised treatment strategies.

Work is now underway to apply predictive modelling and artificial intelligence to identify those at higher risk and to explore whether existing medicines can be repurposed for treatment.