Endometriosis Linked to Slight Rise in Birth-Defect Risk, CMAJ Study Finds

Overview

• The CMAJ study, which published Monday, reports a modest increase in congenital anomalies for infants of people with endometriosis at 6.3% versus 5.4% in others, a 16% relative rise.
• Researchers attributed about 89% of the excess risk to endometriosis itself, with roughly 11% linked to fertility treatment.
• The analysis drew on more than 1.46 million Ontario births from 2006 to 2021 using ICES data, including 33,619 patients with a prior endometriosis diagnosis.
• Higher odds appeared across several defect categories, including heart, gastrointestinal, genital, and musculoskeletal anomalies, yet the authors emphasize the absolute risk remains low.
• An editorial in the same issue calls for earlier diagnosis, coordinated patient-centered care, and further research into inflammatory, oxidative, and epigenetic pathways that could explain the association.