Adverse Childhood Experiences in Urogynecologic Patients

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been associated with negative health outcomes, yet scant information exists regarding the relationship between ACEs, Pelvic floor disorders, and Chronic Pelvic Pain. Pelvic floor disorders (dysfunction of pelvic floor structures) are increasingly common in women, negatively affect their quality of life, and certain of these are refractory to treatment. Despite scattered reports suggesting an association between childhood abuse and specific pelvic floor disorders, the overall association between ACEs \& the spectrum of pelvic floor disorders is unknown. The investigators' previous work suggests that ACEs may be associated with urgency incontinence and work by others suggest ACEs may be associated with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome. These reports are few in number and comprehensive evaluations of ACEs relative to pelvic floor disorders are lacking. The investigators long-term objective is to investigate the relationship between ACEs in patients in the Urogynecologic and Chronic Pelvic Pain population by understanding the contributions to the development of their symptomatology. The current Urogynecology study's Primary Aims are to--1a) Describe the overall prevalence of ACEs, frequency and type of ACEs in a population of women with pelvic floor disorders 1b) Describe differences in ACE prevalence compared to the general population. Secondary Aims are to-2a) Describe ACE types/domains of controls relative to specific pelvic floor diagnoses 2b) Describe their relationship with pelvic floor disorder symptom severity. The investigators central hypothesis is that ACEs are common in women with pelvic floor disorders, that ACE frequency varies by pelvic floor diagnoses, and that ACEs may have profound effects on adult women's quality of life and responsiveness to treatment. The Chronic Pelvic Pain aims, are to 1a) describe the prevalence of ACEs in women with chronic pelvic pain. 1b) To compare the prevalence of ACEs in chronic pain patients to controls. Secondary aims are to 2a) compare the frequency and ACE type/domain of controls relative to chronic pelvic pain patients. 2b) Describe their relationship to depression/anxiety and symptom severity.The positive outcome of this prospective, cross-sectional cohort study will be its description of ACE prevalence in women with pelvic floor disorders and Chronic Pelvic Pain.