The prevalence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome in primary care practices.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome in a clinical population of reproductive-age women.


METHODS
A ten-page questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of women age 18-45 years who were approached in the waiting areas of two obstetrics and gynecology practices and three family medicine practices in central North Carolina. Of 701 women approached to fill out the questionnaire, 581 (83%) returned completed forms suitable for analysis.


RESULTS
The reported prevalence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome was 90, 46, 39, and 12%, respectively. Low income was found to be a risk factor for dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia, and African-American race was found to be a risk factor for pelvic pain. Pelvic pain was also more common among women 26-30 years old. Otherwise, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome were not associated with age, parity, marital status, race, income, or education.


CONCLUSIONS
Dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome are common complaints among women of reproductive age and are not consistently associated with demographic risk factors. Therefore, inquiry about these pelvic pain complaints should be a routine part of health care for women.
Jamieson
D J
DJ
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Steege
J F
JF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors