Sexual behavior and findings on laparoscopy or laparotomy in women with severe chronic pelvic pain.

OBJECTIVE

To identify features of sexual behavior in women with and without chronic pelvic pain.

STUDY

DESIGN

A group of 41 women with chronic pelvic pain of more than 6 months' duration and scheduled to undergo laparoscopy or laparotomy were surveyed to obtain information on their sexual activity. The results were compared with a control group of 86 women of similar age and socioeconomic status who underwent planned tubal ligation for permanent contraception.

RESULTS

Women with pelvic pain initiated sexual relations at a later age and had a higher rate of dyspareunia than women in the control group. There were no significant differences between groups in any other characteristics of sexual behavior.

CONCLUSION

Dyspareunia, the only feature of sexual relations that differed significantly between women with and without chronic pelvic pain, should be accorded greater attention as a painful symptom and not be dismissed as simply a type of sexual dysfunction.