New research suggests that pelvic pain may be common in reproductive-age women, UPI reported.
Researchers from National Institutes of Health and the University of Utah School of Medicine found that more than a third of women experience pelvic pain that goes untreated.
"Our study suggests that many reproductive-age women are experiencing but not reporting some form of pelvic pain," Karen Schliep, who led the study, said in a statement. "If they aren't doing so already, gynecologists may want to ask their patients if they're experiencing pain, as well as the type and precise location of the pain, and offer treatment as appropriate. Similarly, women should let their doctors know if they're in pain."
For the study, researchers collected and analyzed data from 473 women between the ages 18 and 44 years, HealthDay reported. They were enrolled in 14 surgical centers in Salt Lake City and San Francisco. The women were set to undergo either laparoscopy, a surgical procedure which involves inserting a camera at the end of a tube through a tiny incision in the abdomen, or a laparotomy, which involves making a larger incision in the pelvic region. The women were seeking care or treatment for pain, for a mass or lump in the pelvic region, infertility, menstrual irregularities, or for tubal sterilization.
More than 30 percent of the women reported that they were experiencing chronic pain and cyclic pain -- coinciding with an interval during their monthly menstrual cycle -- lasting six months or more. This 30 percent included not only women with pelvic disorders, but also those without any pelvic condition. In addition, regardless of the reason they had surgery or of their diagnosis after the operation, only 3 percent of the total study population reported having none of the 17 types of pain, while over 60 percent reported six or more types of pain.
Among the study participants, approximately 40 percent were diagnosed with endometriosis, and 31 percent with other conditions, including uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and tumors. Nearly 29 percent had not been diagnosed with any pelvic conditions.
Women diagnosed with endometriosis experienced the most chronic pain, at slightly more than 44 percent, compared to about 30 percent of women without any pelvic condition. Similarly, women with endometriosis were more likely to experience pain during intercourse, menstrual cramping and pain with bowel elimination. They also were more likely to report vaginal pain and pain in the pelvic-abdominal area.
The findings are detailed in the journal Human Reproduction.
