The study was designed to reveal possible associations between living in an abusive relationship and gynaecological disorders, including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Comparisons were made between 66 women exposed to physical abuse and 114 randomly sampled women from the same area who were not abused. Data were obtained from personal interviews. 38 (58%) of the study women and 14 (12%) in the control group had experienced at least one episode of PID (p less than 0.001), with a crude odds ratio (OR) of 9.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) from 4.8 to 19.7). Most of the women in both groups had been treated by a general practitioner. Data related to sexual characteristics were included in a model of logistic regression. The adjusted OR of being exposed to a physically abusive relationship was 8.4 (CI 3.8, 18.4). Ever having been divorced was the only other factor that was significantly associated with a history of PID, OR = 3.6 (CI 1.7, 7.9) in the combined group.