Endometriosis and infertility are two words that many women never want to hear – especially together. Pain, uncertainty and emotional weight can feel overwhelming. And for a long time, the message about endometriosis and pregnancy was mostly negative.
But a new, massive study that extends 30 years and with over 4 million women reverses this scenario.
At the meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in 2025, the findings show that women with infertility associated with endometriosis are more likely to become pregnant than those involved in other types of infertility.
Yes, you are reading this right.
Here the study found what it means and why it offers new hope for so many women.
Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it – usually in the ovaries, trumpets and other pelvic organs. It can cause severe pain, severe periods, painful sex, fatigue and infertility.
It is common – affecting about 190 million women worldwide – and often go undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed for years.
What makes the study so important?
This study stands out for size, scope and duration. It is the largest and longer research program based on population population ever carried out on endometriosis and infertility, watching over 4 million women in England between 1991 and 2020.
It was conducted as part of the EU Women’s Project (finding endometriosis through mechanical learning), the study is guided by Dr. Lucky Saraswat in collaboration with researchers at the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh.
Instead of relying on small hospital samples, this research has used real world data to reveal patterns that can now formulate how to understand and manage the infertility associated with endometriosis.
Of more than 4 million women included in the study, about 246,000 were inferted and over 111,000 had a surgically confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis. Among women with infertility, 6.1% also had endometriosis confirmed through processes such as laparoscopy or laparotomy. Impressively, more than half of these women – 57.4%, express their infertility before receiving their diagnosis of endometriosis, underlining common delays in recognizing the situation.
One of the most amazing findings was the outcome data of pregnancy. Infertility women associated with endometriosis were found to be four times more likely to become pregnant than women whose infertility comes from other causes, such as ovulation problems, pipes or inexplicable infertility. This disputes the long -term assumption that endometriosis makes pregnancy much less likely.
Overall, 12.9% of women diagnosed with infertility had at least one pregnancy during the 30 -year study period. Among all women with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis – whether they were not highlighted by barren – 40.5% had at least one pregnancy. These numbers reveal that while endometriosis can affect fertility, it does not eliminate the possibility of conception and in some cases pregnancy may be more likely than with other infertility diagnoses.
Why will endometriosis improve the chances of pregnancy?
It looks amazing, but experts have some possible explanations:
1. Does not affect endometriosis that it does not affect fertility in the same way
Women in mild forms of the disease may have a good chance of becoming pregnant, especially if diagnosed and treated early.
2. Surgery can help
Some women with endometriosis undergo laparoscopic surgery to remove endometrial tissue. This can improve their chances of arresting them.
3. These women can seek help earlier
Because the relationship between endometriosis and infertility is known, women with symptoms may be faster to see a doctor or visit a fertility clinic. This often leads to a faster diagnosis and previous access to treatment such as IVF or surgery.
What does that mean to you
If you have been diagnosed with endometriosis or you think you may have it here are some basic routes:
You’re not alone
This situation affects millions of women. You don’t imagine your symptoms and help is available.
It is possible to pregnancy
Diagnosis of endometriosis does not automatically mean that you will not be able to become pregnant. In fact, your chances can be better than if you had another type of infertility.
Early diagnosis helps
If you have painful periods, pelvic pain or struggle to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. The faster the endometriosis is diagnosed, the more treatment options you have.
You deserve good information
This study gives doctors better data for use when talking to patients. It replaces fear with events and can help guide more careful, personalized treatment.
Dr. Lucky Saraswat, a leading researcher, said the study offers hope and better fertility counseling.
“Fertility is influenced by many factors, including age,” he said. “But our findings can help women recently diagnose with endometriosis to understand their chances of becoming pregnant and making documented decisions.”
Professor Anis Feki, president of Eshre, called on the findings of “valuable assurances for patients”. He said the results emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and custom treatment plans.
A frustrating part of this study is how many women had infertility before being diagnosed with endometriosis. This delay may waste time, prolong the pain and make fertility therapy more difficult.
The expense? We still have to do better in identifying and diagnosing endometriosis early. They should not take chronic pain or failed pregnancy attempts to get answers.
What will happen to the research?
While this study gives us a lot of useful information, there is even more to learn:
- How does it affect the stage of the disease (mild, moderate, serious) chances of pregnancy?
- What are the effects of different types of treatment, such as IVF surgery?
- Can machine learning tools help endometriosis earlier and more accurately?
This study lays the foundations for the answer to these questions – and to improve women’s care in the future.
Endometriosis affects your body, your feelings, your relationships and your plans for the future.
But this study shows that it is not the end of the road, especially when it comes to pregnancy.
In fact, women with infertility -related endometriosis had better pregnancy yields than many would expect. With the right diagnosis, care and support, there is a forward route.
More new pregnancy:
