Chronic Female Pelvic Pain: What Increases Your Risk
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What Increases Your Risk
Factors that increase a woman's risk of developing female pelvic pain that becomes chronic include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth that have stressed the back and pelvis, including delivery of a large baby, a difficult delivery, or a forceps or vacuum delivery.2
- A history of childhood or adult physical or sexual abuse. About half of women with chronic female pelvic pain report abuse in their past.1
- A history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).3
- A history of radiation therapy or surgery of the abdomen or pelvis (including some surgeries for urinary incontinence2).
- Past or current diagnosis of depression. Pain sensation and depression seem to be interrelated.
- Alcohol or drug abuse.
- An abnormal structure (congenital abnormality) of the uterus, cervix, or vagina.4
| Last updated: | January 30, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Reviewed By: | Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC |
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