Babies born to patients with endometriosis have a small but significant increased risk of congenital abnormalities (often called birth defects), a new US study has found. CMJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.250439.
Endometriosis is a chronic, often painful inflammatory disease in which endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus. It affects one in 10 women of reproductive age and can affect fertility.
The study included ICES data on more than 1.4 million births in Ontario, of which 33,619 were infants with endometriosis. A total of 2,120 (6.3%) infants with some congenital anomaly were born to patients with endometriosis, and 77,094 (5.4%) were born to individuals without endometriosis.
Endometriosis is associated with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and musculoskeletal abnormalities, as well as an increased risk of neoplasms and tumors, and may only be partially caused by fertility treatments.
The authors note that the risks are still small.
”Although a small relative increase in risk was observed, the absolute risk of congenital anomalies in infants born to endometriosis patients remains low because congenital anomalies are rare.” wrote Bailey Milne of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, along with co-authors.
practical articles https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241889 Published in the same issue of CMJ We describe a patient with chronic endometriosis that caused severe organ damage.
“These papers emphasize that timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and increased awareness of endometriosis are essential because endometriosis can have serious sequelae,” the authors wrote. Olga Bougie and Catherine Varner, associate professors of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto, CMJ Deputy Editor-in-Chief, in related editorials https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.260662. “However, endometriosis remains misunderstood, underrecognized and undertreated in Canada.”
The editorial calls for a community of practice model of endometriosis care with support for primary care physicians to diagnose and manage uncomplicated cases.
“Addressing these challenges requires a fundamental shift toward coordinated, evidence-based, and patient-centered care,” the authors write.
For clinical guidance on endometriosis, please see CMJ In 2023, she published a review paper, “Diagnosis and Management of Endometriosis.”
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Canadian Medical Association Journal
Reference magazines:
Milne, B. Others. (2026). Risk of birth defects in infants of patients with endometriosis: a population-based cohort study. Journal of the Canadian Medical Association. DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.250439. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/198/18/E688
