Sexual Trauma and Endometriosis

If you are living with both endometriosis and a history of sexual abuse, you are not alone.

Research has found a significant association between childhood or adolescent sexual abuse and a later diagnosis of endometriosis. One large prospective study found that female-bodied people who experienced abuse were 79% more likely to be diagnosed with laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis. While every person’s story is different, this connection deserves to be acknowledged rather than overlooked.

Sexual trauma can leave lasting effects on the nervous system, the pelvic floor, and a person’s relationship with their body. Many survivors experience complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). They often experience protective guarding, dissociation, chronic fight-or-flight response, and a feeling of disconnection from their pelvis. Endometriosis can add another layer through chronic pain, inflammation, invasive procedures, delayed diagnosis, and the experience of not being believed. Medical care itself can be traumatic when surgery is involved, or providers and procedures are not trauma-informed.

When these experiences overlap, the nervous system may remain in a prolonged state of protection. It can become harder to relax the pelvic floor, feel safe during examinations or treatment, advocate for your needs, or reconnect with your body. None of this means your body is broken. It means your body has adapted to survive.

Healing from sexual trauma is an important part of whole-person endometriosis care. Trauma therapy can help restore a sense of safety, support nervous system regulation, rebuild connection with the body, and make treatments such as pelvic floor therapy more accessible and effective for some people. Healing the trauma does not replace other medical treatment for endometriosis, but it can be an important part of healing.

Endometriosis deserves to be treated as more than a disease affecting the pelvis. For many people, it is an experience that deeply impacts the nervous system, mental health, identity, relationships, and sense of safety in their own body. Recognizing the impact of sexual trauma, when it is part of someone’s story, is not about explaining endometriosis. It’s about making sure people receive the full spectrum of care they deserve.