Chronic pelvic pain: a dilemma.

OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of gynaecological factors leading to chronic pelvic pain via diagnostic laparoscopy. To see the association of these factors with demographic variables of the patients. METHODS Fifty patients underwent the study over a period of 1.5 years from 1st January 2007 to 30th June 2008 at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. All patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were admitted via Out Patient Department, underwent initial investigations and later Diagnostic Laparoscopy. RESULTS Twenty nine patients were in 25-34 years age group and had parity between 1 to 5, and 56% of the patients belonged to poor socioeconomic and educational status. Pelvic Inflammatory disease was the most frequently found gynaecological etiology of Chronic Pelvic Pain (20% of patients) followed by endometriosis (14%) and Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (12%). CONCLUSION Chronic Pelvic Pain is a common problem of women with multifactorial etiology. Laparoscopy was found be very effective in diagnosing the various gynaecological causes of the disorder.