Hungarian Study Quantifies €1,757 Annual Income Loss From Endometriosis-Related Absences

Researchers at Semmelweis University surveyed 566 women with endometriosis and 447 controls using validated work productivity and ability indices. Affected women missed 12.7 hours over four weeks versus 5.7 hours in controls, yielding the income estimate after annualizing Hungarian salary data. The analysis excluded presenteeism costs and direct medical expenses, focusing solely on documented absenteeism.

Prior European cohorts, including a 2019 Human Reproduction meta-analysis and a 2021 Fertility and Sterility registry study, reported similar 20-40% productivity decrements but lacked Central-Eastern European representation. This gap matters because Hungary’s statutory sick-pay structure and limited menstrual-leave options amplify out-of-pocket losses compared with Spain or Portugal. The new data also flags elevated workforce-exit risk, with 42% of cases showing poor work ability versus 18% of controls.

Workplace knowledge deficits compound the issue: 54% of respondents reported employers with little awareness. Flexible scheduling and menstrual leave ranked highest among requested accommodations, aligning with patterns in gender-health disparity literature where delayed diagnosis (often 7-10 years) intersects peak career years.

Evidence quality remains moderate. This cross-sectional design establishes association but cannot prove causation or forecast long-term earnings trajectories; longitudinal employer-linked registries are required next.