What happens to women with chronic pelvic pain after a negative [normal] laparoscopy?

Chronic pelvic pain remains unexplained in one third of women who have negative [normal] findings at diagnostic laparoscopy. This paper investigates the history of chronic pelvic pain after a negative laparoscopy and to assess the effect of negative laparoscopy on self perceived quality of life. The results of this study show that chronic pelvic pain persists in the majority of women who had negative laparoscopy in the medium to long term. It also shows that laparoscopy is beneficial in such group of women when findings are negative, due to its reassuring effect. A few quality of life issues also seem to improve despite persistence of chronic pelvic pain after a negative [normal] laparoscopy.