Women with endometriosis may lose a month’s salary each year
Semmelweis University
image:
Dr. Dóra Balogh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Semmelweis University and senior author of the study.
view moreCredit: Photo: Bálint Barta - Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Menstrual leave and flexible work arrangements are the forms of support women with endometriosis say would help them most, according to a new study by researchers at Semmelweis University published in Preventive Medicine Reports. Pain and fatigue lead to more frequent absences from work and reduced job performance. The first large-scale study of its kind from Central and Eastern Europe found that women with endometriosis lose an average of €1,757 in income each year - roughly equivalent to one month’s average salary in Hungary. This estimate reflects income lost because of work absences and does not include the costs of reduced productivity at work or health care expenses.
Researchers at Semmelweis University analyzed data from 566 women with endometriosis and 447 women without the condition. Using internationally validated questionnaires, they assessed work productivity, absenteeism, and work ability. Women with endometriosis lost an average of 12.7 work hours over a four-week period because of health-related problems, compared with 5.7 hours among women in the control group. Based on the hours missed, the researchers estimated an average annual income loss of €1,757 per affected woman.
“The impact of endometriosis is not only a health issue but also a major social and economic one. The condition affects women during one of the most active stages of their lives, meaning it can influence employment, career development, and long-term financial security,” said Dr. Dóra Balogh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Semmelweis University and senior author of the study.
Endometriosis affects about 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. In this chronic gynecological condition, tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing chronic pelvic pain, painful periods, fatigue, and, in some cases, infertility. Symptoms often persist for many years before the condition is diagnosed.
The study found that 42% of women with endometriosis had poor work ability, compared with 17.9% of women in the control group. Poor work ability means that a person's health makes it harder to perform their job and increases the risk of prolonged work disability or leaving the workforce.
“The most surprising finding was that nearly half of the women with endometriosis fell into this category. Without appropriate support, the condition may not only make day-to-day work more difficult but also threaten women's ability to remain in the workforce over the long term,” said Dr. Dominika Miklós, a resident physician in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Semmelweis University and first author of the study.
The researchers also found that many workplaces are not adequately prepared to support employees with endometriosis. Fifty-four percent of respondents said their employer had little or no knowledge of the condition, while only 17% believed their workplace was sufficiently informed about it. Participants said they would most value menstrual leave, flexible work hours, remote or hybrid work options, and greater understanding and support from employers. Some European countries, including Spain and Portugal, already allow menstrual leave under certain circumstances.
Part of a larger research program
The study was conducted as part of the international FEMaLe (Finding Endometriosis with Machine Learning) research program, launched in 2020. At Semmelweis University, the project is led by Dr. Attila Bokor, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Its aim is to improve understanding of endometriosis, promote earlier diagnosis, and investigate the health, social, and economic impact of the disease.
This is the first comprehensive study in Central and Eastern Europe to examine the effects of endometriosis on work productivity, work ability, and workplace support simultaneously. Its findings are consistent with studies from Western Europe and Australia, suggesting that the impact of endometriosis on working life is similar across regions. The researchers conclude that flexible work arrangements and better-informed employers could help women with endometriosis remain in the workforce.
Journal
Preventive Medicine Reports
DOI
Menstrual leave and flexible work arrangements are the forms of support women with endometriosis say would help them most, according to a new study by researchers at Semmelweis University published in Preventive Medicine Reports. Pain and fatigue lead to more frequent absences from work and reduced job performance. The first large-scale study of its kind from Central and Eastern Europe found that women with endometriosis lose an average of €1,757 in income each year – roughly equivalent to one month’s average salary in Hungary. This estimate reflects income lost because of work absences and does not include the costs of reduced productivity at work or health care expenses.
Credit
Image by Dr. Dóra Balogh and Dr. Dominika Miklós - Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Social disadvantage greatly amplifies risk of mortality in women with early menopause
New study shows that of all social disadvantage variables; unemployment has the strongest association with both all-cause mortality and incident dementia
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Aug. 12, 2026)—Early natural menopause is already associated with a higher long-term health burden. A new large-scale study demonstrates that cumulative social disadvantage—and in particular, unemployment—is strongly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, as well as a marked predisposition to dementia, in women with early natural menopause. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.
Premature and early natural menopause, which affect roughly 6% of women around the world, occur when a woman’s periods stop permanently and naturally (no surgeries or medical treatments) in women aged younger than 45 years. Before the current study, it was already known that premature (women aged <40 y) and early (women aged between 40 and 45 y) natural menopause come with higher risks for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. However, the effect of social determinants of health on this risk has not been fully studied.
In this new study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 20,000 women with early natural menopause (defined as occurring in women <48 y) and divided them into favorable, medium, and unfavorable social-determinants-of-health categories based on how they ranked on 14 different determinants.
Social determinants of health encompass the environmental conditions in which people are born, reside, receive education, work, engage in leisure activities, worship, and age. These factors are increasingly being recognized as primary drivers of health inequities, often exerting a stronger influence on outcomes than clinical care or personal lifestyle choices. Given that social disadvantages tend to co-occur, it’s important to assess the effect of combined social determinants of health to quantify their aggregate risk. In order to identify the primary contributors to these adverse outcomes, the researchers also evaluated the independent effect of each social-determinant-of-health variable.
Follow-up was conducted at a median of 10.8 years. The results revealed that socioeconomic disadvantages significantly amplify adverse health trajectories in women with early natural menopause. Of all the disadvantages studied, unemployment exhibited the strongest association with both all-cause mortality and incident dementia. In contrast, no significant association was observed for incident cancer. As a result, the researchers suggest that a comprehensive assessment of social determinants of health be conducted as part of the health management program for early natural menopause.
Study results are published in the article “Combined social determinants of health, mortality, and adverse health outcomes in early natural menopause.”
“This study demonstrates that socioeconomic disadvantages significantly amplify adverse health trajectories in women with premature and early menopause. Disrupting this complex interaction will require a routine, comprehensive assessment of social determinants of health as a fundamental principle in the management of women experiencing premature or early menopause,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.
For more information about menopause and healthy aging, visit www.menopause.org.
The Menopause Society is dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals and providing them with the tools and resources to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond. As the leading authority on menopause since 1989, the nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization serves as the independent, evidence-based resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, the media, and the public and leads the conversation about improving women’s health and healthcare experiences. To learn more, visit menopause.org.
Journal
Menopause
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Combined social determinants of health, mortality, and adverse health outcomes in early natural menopause
Article Publication Date
12-Aug-2026
No comments:
Post a Comment