Researchers in Australia, Japan and Britain have identified four new gene regions linked to the gynecological disorder endometriosis, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) said on Monday.

The study of more than 5000 Australian, Japanese and European women with endometriosis is a big step forward in understanding the causes of the gynecological condition, according to QIMR.

"These discoveries will help us identify the underlying biological mechanisms of endometriosis, which we can ultimately use to develop new diagnostics and treatments," said lead author, QIMR Associate Professor Dale Nyholt in a statement.

"This study provides those all-important foundations for future research."

Endometriosis, which is often a painful gynecological condition, affects about 10 percent of Australian women and causes up to half of all female infertility.

QIMR Associate Professor Dale Nyholt said researchers had found variants of DNA that are more common in sufferers than the general population.

The QIMR team will continue their study into the genetic risk factors for endometriosis and track down the women who first contributed to the QIMR endometriosis biobank between 1995 and 2003.

The study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics on Monday.