“You don’t really chat about your pelvic pain over brunch” – an exploration of silencing, normalisation and identity challenges in chronic pelvic pain

Pye, Lisa (2026) “You don’t really chat about your pelvic pain over brunch” – an exploration of silencing, normalisation and identity challenges in chronic pelvic pain. Women's Reproductive Health. pp. 1-16. ISSN 2329-3713

Text Pye, L., et al. Feb 2026, Accepted Manuscript Women’s Reproductive Health.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 28 February 2027. Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial. Download (408kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Shame and normalisation of pelvic pain hinder help seeking and promote persistence with role functioning. However, pain can disrupt role functioning and this can challenge identity. Eighteen semi-structured online interviews with people with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) were conducted and analysed with reflexive thematic analysis from a critical realist perspective. Two themes were developed that explore how minimisation and maintaining an acceptable presented self can contribute to identity challenges and create barriers to help-seeking and support. Supporting identity challenge management through improving menstrual health education and awareness, and challenging perceived norms may reduce these barriers and, in turn, facilitate help-seeking.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Chronic pelvic pain ; identity ; healthcare barriers ; stigma ; Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	School of Psychology and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Lisa Pye
Date Deposited:	15 May 2026 09:10
Last Modified:	15 May 2026 09:10
URI:	https://bear.buckingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/721

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