Study reveals link between traumatic experiences and endometriosis risk

New research suggests that childhood and adulthood trauma, including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, may increase the likelihood of developing endometriosis, regardless of genetic predisposition.

Study: Observational and Genetic Analyses of Traumatic Experiences and Endometriosis. Image Credit: Halfpoint/Shutterstock.com

Can past trauma shape physical health in women? A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry investigated the link between traumatic experiences and endometriosis, a painful condition affecting millions of women worldwide.

Using observational and genetic data, researchers explored whether trauma history and genetic predisposition play a role in endometriosis risk. The findings could shift how we understand and screen for this chronic disease.

Women’s reproductive and mental health

Endometriosis is a debilitating condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing pain, inflammation, and fertility issues. Although it affects nearly 10–15% of women of reproductive age, its exact causes remain unclear.

While genetic factors play a role, emerging research suggests that environmental influences, including stress and trauma, may contribute. Furthermore, many women face years of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments, as current diagnostic tools and therapeutic options remain limited.

Prior studies have identified links between endometriosis and mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression. Recent genetic research also indicates a possible shared biological pathway between endometriosis and psychiatric disorders.

Moreover, while the relationship between early-life adversity and chronic health conditions has been well-documented, few studies have directly examined how different types of trauma, such as childhood maltreatment, intimate partner violence, and extreme stress, affect endometriosis risk.

About the study

This study analyzed data from the United Kingdom (U.K.) Biobank for over 8,000 women with endometriosis and more than 240,000 controls.

The researchers assessed the association between traumatic experiences, such as childhood maltreatment, sexual assault, and violent crime, and endometriosis using statistical models that accounted for age, socioeconomic status, and ancestry.

Self-reported trauma histories were categorized into different types, including interpersonal trauma, non-interpersonal trauma, contact trauma, and non-contact trauma.

To further investigate potential genetic influences, the study included genome-wide association analyses from large datasets, including over 21,000 patients of European ancestry and nearly 2,000 of East Asian ancestry.

The researchers examined polygenic risk scores to assess whether genetic susceptibility to trauma-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), correlated with increased endometriosis risk. Patterns of trauma exposure among women with and without endometriosis were also investigated.

This approach allowed researchers to classify participants into different trauma-response categories, providing insights into how different types of trauma may relate to endometriosis.

Polygenic risk scoring further evaluated whether genetic susceptibility to endometriosis interacted with exposure to traumatic events, helping to determine if trauma acted as a trigger in genetically predisposed individuals.

Results

The study found that women with endometriosis were significantly more likely to report traumatic experiences compared to those without the condition. Contact traumas, including physical and sexual abuse, had the strongest association.

For instance, women who experienced childhood maltreatment or interpersonal trauma had higher odds of developing endometriosis than those who had never faced such events. These associations remained significant even after adjusting for confounding factors such as age and socioeconomic background.

Further analysis showed that endometriosis was particularly linked to specific trauma types, including childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, and experiences of severe emotional distress.

Women who reported multiple traumatic events were at an even higher risk, indicating a possible cumulative effect of trauma exposure on disease development.

Additionally, women with endometriosis were found to have increased odds of experiencing stress-related conditions such as anxiety and depression, further reinforcing the connection between mental health and endometriosis.

Genetic analysis also revealed a notable correlation between endometriosis and PTSD, suggesting a shared genetic basis. Specifically, genetic risk factors associated with PTSD and childhood maltreatment showed overlap with those linked to endometriosis.

The study found that individuals with a higher polygenic risk for PTSD were also more likely to develop endometriosis.

However, while both trauma and genetic predisposition independently influenced endometriosis risk, no direct interaction between them was observed.

This means that while women with a genetic predisposition to endometriosis and a history of trauma face a higher combined risk, trauma alone does not directly trigger endometriosis in those genetically predisposed.

The study also highlighted several limitations. The researchers discussed how self-reported trauma histories may be influenced by recall bias, and the study’s reliance on European-centric genetic data limited the applicability of findings to other populations.

Additionally, while the genetic correlation findings suggested shared biological mechanisms, further research is needed to clarify the exact pathways linking trauma and endometriosis.

Conclusions

Overall, the study provided compelling evidence that traumatic experiences and genetic predisposition contribute to endometriosis risk.

While the exact biological mechanisms remain unclear, these findings stressed the importance of considering psychological history in the screening and diagnosis of endometriosis.

Given the association between endometriosis and PTSD-related genetic factors, the researchers believe that future research should explore whether targeted interventions, such as mental health support or stress-reducing therapies, could mitigate the impact of trauma on endometriosis development.

Story first appeared on News Medical