Friday, September 4th 2026
New studies are revealing a link that goes beyond genetics and hormones, but the mechanism is still not entirely clear
A large study by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and another Yale University research, published in JAMA Psychiatry, have found links between difficult experiences in childhood and a higher risk of a diagnosis of endometriosis later in life.
The results suggest that women who experienced physical, emotional or violence in childhood sexual, or domestic violence, may have a significantly higher risk. The effect seems to be cumulative: the more adverse circumstances there were during growth, the greater the risk.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. It most often occurs in the pelvic area and can affect the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, intestines or surrounding tissue.
These lesions respond to hormones and can cause inflammation, pain, scar tissue and adhesions between organs.
Endometriosis is estimated to affect about one in ten women, but the diagnosis is often made years after symptoms appear.
Childhood violence is associated with a higher risk of top
The Swedish study included about 1.3 million women born in Sweden between 1974 and 2001. Of these, 24,311 had a diagnosis of endometriosis.
Researchers analyzed a range of adverse childhood experiences, including violence, parental psychiatric or substance use problems, financial hardship, parental separation, housing instability and service interventions.
Overall, women who had experienced at least one of these circumstances had about a 20 percent higher risk of a diagnosis of endometriosis compared to those who had not experienced such events.
The strongest association was seen with exposure to violence, where the risk was more than twice as high.
Also, women who had experienced five or more adverse circumstances in childhood had about a 60 percent higher risk, reports Telegraph.
Parental separation and frequent moves may also play a role
An interesting finding was that the risk was not only related to severe trauma.
Even circumstances such as parental divorce or frequent changes of residence were associated with increased risk.
This suggests that ongoing stress during development may have a wider impact on the organism than previously thought.
How can stress be related to endometriosis?
Researchers cite several possible explanations.
One is that early stress can affect the immune system and the way the body reacts to endometriotic tissue.
Another possibility is that trauma affects the brain’s processing of pain, making a person more sensitive to it and, therefore, more likely to seek medical help and receive a diagnosis.
However, these are hypotheses and the exact mechanism has not yet been clarified.
Endometriosis is not a “psychological disease”
The researchers emphasize that these results do not mean that endometriosis is caused by trauma or that it is a psychosomatic disease.
Many factors influence its development, including genetic predisposition, hormones, the immune system and environmental factors.
Another study from Yale University found that women with endometriosis reported more often traumatic life experiences, including childhood abuse, sexual assault and other serious events.
According to the researchers, the connection may also be two-way: endometriosis may affect mental health, while stress and trauma may be related to the way the disease develops or is experienced.
What now seems clearer is that physical and psychological health cannot always be seen separately. These findings may help to better understand endometriosis and the importance of a safe and supportive childhood.
Source: prizrenpost
