Better awareness drives more endometriosis hospital admissions

A growing number of women and girls in Australia are receiving hospital treatment for endometriosis, with admissions rising by 23% over the last decade. This increase significantly outpaces the 4.7% rise in hospital admissions for all conditions during the same period, according to a report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

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These increases are likely influenced by growth in the awareness of endometriosis among the general population and medical practitioners in recent years, as well as advances in our understanding of endometriosis as a disease and improvements in the medical technology available for diagnosis.

This trend is likely fueled by heightened awareness of endometriosis among the general population and healthcare providers, coupled with improved understanding of the disease and advancements in diagnostic technology. Endometriosis affects approximately one in seven Australian women aged 18 to 45, often leading to infertility and diagnostic challenges. The condition can cause severe pain, though not universally.

Obstetrician-gynaecologist Marilla Druitt, president of Pelvic Pain Victoria, noted that hospital data can be complex, as patients often present with general abdominal or pelvic pain rather than a specific endometriosis diagnosis. She highlighted that the condition's complexity means patients might receive various initial labels, complicating year-to-year data comparisons.

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So someone can go to emergency with acute or chronic pelvic pain, and they can be labelled as having 10 different things, which is consistent with how complicated this disorder can be.

Despite these complexities, Druitt views the increased admissions as positive news, crediting patient advocates for bringing pelvic pain and the suffering associated with endometriosis to the forefront. She is involved in developing new guidelines for pelvic pain management, hoping to broaden the focus beyond endometriosis alone. Druitt believes that concentrating solely on endometriosis treatment may leave many patients with pelvic pain not receiving adequate care, as it is often only one contributing factor.

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I think the amazing endo warriors who have raised the profile of endometriosis in Australia have done wonderful things to get pelvic pain on the agenda and to talk about this suffering that so many women are experiencing.

The AIHW report found 24,700 hospital admissions for endometriosis in 2024/25, a rate of 180 per 100,000 women and girls, up from 145 a decade prior. Nine out of ten of these admissions involved a surgical procedure.

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I would love the focus to be on pelvic pain [not just endometriosis] because the more I do this, the less I think endometriosis is the only thing that matters.