Are endometriosis patients a high-risk population?
To date, there is no evidence that women with endometriosis are at
increased risk of COVID-19.7 However, women with
endometriosis within the chest cavity (in the lungs or on the
diaphragm), referred to as ‘thoracic endometriosis’, may be more at
risk. Similarly, there is no evidence that COVID-19 will hasten the
progression/development of endometriosis. Nonetheless, the pandemic will
likely contribute to a reduction in quality of life secondary to a delay
in diagnosis and/or the treatment of endometriosis owing to the
temporary closure of outpatient services, (including complementary
therapies), postponement of planned surgical or fertility treatments,
and an eventual increase in the waitlist for services once they resume.
The extent of the impact will depend on the duration of service
postponement and regional resource variations (e.g. access to operating
theatre time when surgeries resume).