A new study has found endometriosis costs each sufferer around $31,000 per year.

Along with significant physical pain, endometriosis also hurts Australian women at the hip pocket, as well as having significant economic effects on society as a whole, research suggests.

A survey of over 400 women either diagnosed with endometriosis or experiencing chronic pelvic pain has been used to determine the economic impact, including healthcare costs, employment related costs and other costs related to childcare and household maintenance.

It found women with endometriosis incurred an average cost of $31,000 per woman per year.

Cost varies with pain level, with women in severe pain experiencing around six times the cost than women in minimal pain.

Similar costs were found in women with other causes for pelvic pain. The majority of costs (75-84 per cent) were due to productivity loss.

The total estimated economic burden per year in Australia in the reproductive aged population may be as high as $9.7 billion dollars.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining to the uterus is found outside the uterus, often causing severe pelvic pain and fatigue.

It affects around one in 10 women worldwide, and in Australia, around one in nine women born in 1973–78 were diagnosed with endometriosis by age 40–44.

Lead author on the paper, NICM Health Research Institute Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Mike Armour, says that the National Action Plan for Endometriosis needs to prioritise improving pain control in women, as this was the most significant contributor to the economic impact.

“More applied research is needed to assess the true prevalence rate of endometriosis, to determine these economic impacts with greater accuracy, and guide urgent clinical and policy responses,” Dr Armour said.

Women with endometriosis often report having issues achieving adequate pain management, and Dr Armour says reducing pain could reduce loss of productivity along with improving quality of life.

The full study is accessible here.