The Incidence of Endometriosis, 2014-2022 An Analysis of Nationwide Claims Data From Physicians in Private Practice

Background: The epidemiological characterization of endometriosis, particularly with regard to its incidence, has been inadequate to date both in Germany and other countries. The goal of this study was to determine trends in the incidence of diagnosed endometriosis and changes in age structure at the time of first diagnosis over the period 2014-2022. Methods: Nationwide claims data from physicians in private practice, obtained according to relevant German law ( 295 SGB V), were used to identify the population at risk for a first assured diagnosis of endometriosis (ICD-10-GM: N80) during each year of the study period, consisting of women and girls aged 10-52 who were insured by the statutory health insurance system and for whom at least two years of prior observation were possible. Patients were defined as incident if they were documented as having received a first confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis, according to the case definition, during the study year. The case definition comprised multiple options for validating the diagnosis. Results: The incidence of diagnosed endometriosis rose over the period of the study from 2.8 per 1000 persons at risk in 2014 to 4.1 per 1000 in 2022, corresponding to a 44% relative increase. There was also a marked shift in age- specific incidence toward higher values at younger ages: the median age at diagnosis fell from 37 years (2014) to 34 (2022). Conclusion: This is the first study providing nationwide population-based data on the incidence of endometriosis in Germany. The observed rise in newly diagnosed cases is presumably mainly due to an increased awareness of endometriosis and to the growing recognition of the disease.