Women with endometriosis face 46% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds

by Katie Pearce, George Mason University

edited by Robert Egan

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Women with endometriosis have a 46% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than women without the condition, according to a new study led by researchers at the George Mason College of Public Health and collaborators.

The study, published in Diabetologia, followed data from nearly 3 million women over 25 years and is the largest to date examining the relationship between endometriosis and type 2 diabetes. Maggie Fuzak Nunziato, a George Mason doctoral student in epidemiology, led the research with Anna Pollack, professor of Global and Community Health.

Researchers found that diabetes risk varied across different forms of endometriosis, suggesting the condition may have broader long-term health implications than previously recognized. They believe the chronic inflammation associated with endometriosis may play a role in metabolic health, though more research is needed to understand the connection.

"Previous studies largely evaluated endometriosis as a single condition and generally reported little or no overall association with type 2 diabetes," said Fuzak Nunziato, the study's lead author. "Our findings add to a growing understanding that endometriosis may affect more than reproductive health alone."

Higher risk in unexpected groups

Notably, researchers found the association was strongest among premenopausal women and women without obesity—groups not traditionally considered at the highest risk for type 2 diabetes.

Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. It occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus and can cause chronic pelvic pain, infertility and other complications.

If the study's findings are confirmed by future research, they could help clinicians identify women with endometriosis who may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and who could benefit from earlier screening or prevention efforts.

Differences across endometriosis types

The study analyzed health records from nearly 3 million women in the Utah Population Database between 1996 and 2021, including nearly 100,000 women diagnosed with endometriosis.

Researchers found that some forms of endometriosis carried a much stronger association with diabetes than others. The link was greatest among women with extra-pelvic endometriosis, meaning the disease is found outside the pelvis.

The researchers emphasize that the findings show an association, not proof that endometriosis can cause type 2 diabetes. They say more research is needed to better understand the biological mechanisms connecting the two conditions and whether earlier metabolic screening could improve outcomes for women with endometriosis.

The study also included collaborators from the University of Utah, the University of Arizona, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Intermountain Health.

Publication details

Maggie Fuzak Nunziato et al, Endometriosis subtypes and risk of type 2 diabetes: the Advancing Research on Cardiovascular Health and Endometriosis Study (ARCHES) retrospective cohort study, Diabetologia (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s00125-026-06828-w

Journal information: Diabetologia

Key medical concepts

Diabetes Type 2EndometriosisObesity

Clinical categories

Obstetrics & gynecologyWomen's healthEndocrinologyCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by George Mason University Who's behind this story?

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