History of two common gynecological disorders, endometriosis and uterine fibroids, is linked to an increased risk of early death, a recent study revealed.
Endometriosis is a chronic reproductive disorder that affects about 10% of women of reproductive age. It occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing symptoms such as severe period pain, chronic pelvic pain, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and infertility. There is no permanent cure for the condition, so treatment involves managing symptoms.
Fibroids are noncancerous growths on uterine walls that can cause symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, back pain, and frequent urination. Around 40% to 80% of women have uterine fibroids.
In a large-scale study, researchers analyzed 110,091 women from the Nurses’ Health Study II, aged 25-42 in 1989. The participants had no prior hysterectomy, cardiovascular diseases, or cancer. Diagnoses of endometriosis (via laparoscopy) and fibroids (via ultrasound or hysterectomy) were self-reported every two years from 1993.
Over 30 years, there were 4,356 premature deaths, including 1,459 from cancer and 304 from cardiovascular diseases.
The all-cause premature death rate for women with confirmed endometriosis was 2 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 1.4 per 1,000 for those without. After accounting for factors such as age, weight, diet quality, physical activity, and smoking status, individuals with endometriosis were 31% more likely to die prematurely (before age 70) compared to those without these disorders. The majority of these deaths were attributed to gynecological cancers.
Although uterine fibroids were not linked to all-cause premature death, the condition elevated the risk of death due to gynecological cancers.
“Women with a history of endometriosis and uterine fibroids might have an increased long-term risk of premature mortality extending beyond their reproductive lifespan,” the researchers concluded.
“These conditions were also associated with an increased risk of death due to gynecological cancers. Endometriosis was associated with a greater risk of non-cancer mortality. These findings highlight the importance for primary care providers to consider these gynecological disorders in their assessment of women’s health,” they wrote in the study published in the journal BMJ.
The researchers caution that since it is an observational study relying on self-reported data, it can be prone to errors. Also, as the participants were predominantly white healthcare workers, the findings may not be generalizable to other populations.
