How many women have pelvic pain?

Researchers are not sure exactly how many women in the United States have chronic pelvic pain.

Because it is often linked to other disorders, such as endometriosis or vulvodynia, chronic pelvic pain may be misdiagnosed as another condition, making it difficult to estimate reliable prevalence rates for pelvic pain.1 According to one study, about 15% of women of childbearing age in the United States reported having pelvic pain that lasted at least 6 months.2 Worldwide, the rates of chronic pelvic pain for women of childbearing age range from 14% to 32%.2 Between 13% and 32% of these women have pain that is severe enough to cause them to miss work.3

Citations

  1. Andrews, J., Yunker, A., Reynolds, W. S., Likis, F. E., Sathe, N. A., & Jerome, R. N. (2012). Noncyclic chronic pelvic pain therapies for women: Comparative effectiveness. Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, 41. Retrieved June 22, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK84586/
  2. Mathias, S. D., Kuppermann, M., Liberman, R. F., Lipschutz, R. C., & Steege, J. F. (1996). Chronic pelvic pain: Prevalence, health-related quality of life, and economic correlates. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 87, 321–327.
  3. Ahangari, A. (2014). Prevalence of chronic pelvic pain among women: An updated review. Pain Physician, 17, E141–E147. Retrieved June 14, 2016, from http://www.painphysicianjournal.com/current/pdf?article=MjA2NQ%3D%3D&journal=81 external link (PDF 241 KB)
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