Are Childhood Experiences of Violence Linked to Pelvic Pain in Adulthood?

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with serious health issues (e.g., heart and lung diseases, cancer, substance use disorders). Might chronic pelvic pain also be linked to ACEs? To examine the association, investigators age-matched 60 women recruited at an initial visit to a chronic pelvic pain treatment clinic (mean age, 40; 52% Hispanic) with 60 women without pain who presented for initial annual gynecologic examinations at the same institution (mean age, 40; 35% Hispanic). ACEs (defined as experienced or witnessed emotional, physical, and sexual abuse) were assessed with a validated questionnaire.

Women with chronic pelvic pain were less educated, had more medical comorbidities, and were more likely to have other pain syn…