University of Florida Study Finds College-Age Women Don’t Report Pelvic Pain to Their Doctors

A study by researchers at the University of Florida finds that many college-age women who have pelvic pain failed to report the problem to their doctors. Some 72 percent of women in the survey reported some type of pelvic pain in the previous 12 months but three quarters of those women who reported pain stated that they did not report it to their doctor. Among the reasons women gave for not reporting pelvic pain included embarrassment and a lack of empathy and understanding from their physicians.

Nash Moawad, director of the Center of Excellence for Minimally Invasive Gynecology at the University of Florida, stated, “Women don’t realize their pain is abnormal. They think that is how periods are supposed to be. But if you are missing days from school or work or have to cancel activities, that is striking. If a woman has to take narcotics for pain, or if she has to drop out of classes, that is not normal. She should see a physician.”

In such instances, pain could be caused by endometriosis, ovarian cysts, irritable bowel syndrome, urinary tract infections, or other serious conditions. Dr. Moawad adds, “Women need to understand they do not need to wait so long to get help. There are ways to diagnosis and treat these conditions.”