How Close Are We To Quicker Endometriosis Tests? A Women's Health Expert Explains

New non-invasive endometriosis tests are being rolled out in the U.K. and it's making headlines across the world. Women who have struggled with painful period and pelvic cramps for years are excitedly asking, could this the breakthrough we have have been waiting for?

The answer is: maybe. The news is undoubtedly exciting, but the reality is always more complicated than the headlines suggest. Here's what we do and don't know about the efficacy of these tests.

Some context on diagnosing endometriosis

Endometriosis affects around 10% of reproductive age women1 worldwide, yet it remains one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in women's health. It is a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs when tissue from the endometrial lining of the uterus grows on pelvic organs outside the uterus, like the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Not only can the condition cause extreme pelvic pain, but it can also affect daily life, relationships, and work.

Despite how many women are affected, difficulty diagnosing endometriosis is systemic across the globe. More than half of the over 10,000 surveyed said they saw their GP more than 10 times before receiving a diagnosis, according to an inquiry into endometriosis by the U.K government.

The delays stem from several compounding factors, including late initial presentation, inconsistent expertise in diagnostic ultrasound, slow referral pathways, and long wait times for gynecological services.

Until now, the only way to definitively confirm endometriosis was through a diagnostic laparoscopy, a surgical procedure performed under general anaesthetic in which a surgeon inserts a small camera through a tiny cut in the abdomen to look directly inside the pelvis. That procedure is invasive, costly, and carries surgical risks. For many women, it has been the only route to answers, but it has also been a significant barrier to timely care.

The new tests

On July 7, 2026, the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said two non-invasive endometriosis—Endotest and EndoSure—can now be used to speed up the diagnosis of endometriosis in primary care while further evidence of their accuracy is collected. Both tests are intended to be used alongside standard clinical practice, not as standalone diagnostic tools.

According to the NICE guidance, they should only be used in women where endometriosis is still suspected even after a normal clinical examination and either negative, inconclusive, or unavailable imaging results. The organization also recognizes that the roll out of these tests needs go hand in hand with education of doctors and nurses.

What Endotest does

Endotest works by analyzing a saliva sample for biological markers. The sample is collected and sent to a lab, where specific microRNA patterns are examined to indicate whether endometriosis is likely to be present. The result is then returned to the treating clinician to help inform next steps in diagnosis and care.

Jila Senemar, M.D., FACOG, an OB/GYN and women's health specialist, says the approach is potentially meaningful for its specificity. "Endotest doesn't measure a single inflammatory marker," she explains. "It analyzes patterns of microRNAs, which are small regulatory molecules involved in gene expression. In theory, those patterns may provide a more disease-specific signature than traditional inflammatory markers."

The most important scientific question to be answered about this test isn't whether women with endometriosis have different microRNA profiles than healthy women, Senemar says. It's whether the test can reliably tell endometriosis apart from other conditions that look similar. "This is the data we still need," Senemar says.

What EndoSure does

EndoSure takes a different approach entirely. Rather than analysing biological markers, it detects endometriosis by measuring electrical signals in the gut using sensor pads placed on the abdomen. Patients fast for 6 to 8 hours beforehand, and during the 45-minute test are asked to drink water until full, which helps the device record gut activity accurately.

This test might be harder to grasp for some people, since it's much harder to picture than a saliva tes, but it's exciting because the results are available as soon as the test is complete. That is a big difference than the years most women have previously had to wait for an offical endometriosis diagnosis right now.

What "approved" actually means

This is where the nuance matters most. NICE has not declared these tests definitively proven. It has recommended both technologies for use during a 3-year evidence-collection period, during which additional real-world data will be collected on how well they perform in routine clinical practice. The companies behind each test are responsible for organizing evidence-generation activities, and NICE will review progress annually.

This is important because, until now, both tests have only been administered in populations of women with chronic pelvic pain and possible endometriosis. "A diagnostic test almost always performs better in a population where the disease is already relatively common, " Senemar explains. "When you move that same test into a broader population where fewer women actually have the disease, positive predictive value generally falls and false-positive results become more common."

Senemar is cautiously optimistic but clear-eyed. "The technology is promising," she says, "but I think it's important to avoid overselling it before larger real-world studies are complete."

What this means for women in the U.S.

For women in the U.S., the picture is different. A saliva test for endometriosis isn't something women can walk into a doctor's office and request today. Here, the test still has to move through regulatory review, insurance coverage, and real-world clinical adoption before it becomes widely available, and that might not happen until the U.K helps collect more evidence on these tests. (U.S. researchers are making progress, too—a recent study reported a blood test that identified endometriosis with 95% accuracy.)

"The science is promising, and I do think noninvasive testing will become part of endometriosis care. But for now, a saliva test should be viewed as another tool, not a standalone answer," Senemar says. "Diagnosis still depends on the full picture, including symptoms, exam, imaging, and sometimes surgery."

What the NHS announcement does signal, she says, is that the field is moving. For the millions of women who have spent years being told their pain is normal, that movement matters.

The takeaway

Regardless of approvals, the NHS announcement is a clear signal that the landscape of endometriosis is moving in a positive direction. For the millions of women who have spent years being told their pain is normal, that movement is incredibly reassuring.

If you've spent years fighting for people to believe you pain, know that people are listening to you. For now, the most productive you can do is document your symptoms and keep advocating for a referral while the science continues to catch up.