The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has updated its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including with new information specifically addressed to individuals in the European Economic Area. As described in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences.

Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.

×
No Access

Relationship of chronic pelvic pain to psychiatric diagnoses and childhood sexual abuse

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.145.1.75

Structured psychiatric and sexual abuse interviews were administered to 25 women with chronic pelvic pain and a comparison group of 30 women with specific gynecological conditions. All 55 patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, and the results of the fiberoptic pelvic examination were objectively classified by the study gynecologist, who was blind to the psychiatric diagnoses. The patients with chronic pelvic pain showed a significantly higher prevalence of major depression, substance abuse, adult sexual dysfunction, somatization, and history of childhood and adult sexual abuse than the comparison group. There were no significant differences between the groups in severity or type of pelvic pathology.

Access content

To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.