OBJECTIVES: To determine if a history of sexual abuse is associated with objective and subjective indicators of health and if certain abusive incidents had a stronger impact on health than others. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, multicentre study. SETTING: Five gynaecological departments in the five Nordic countries. SAMPLE: Three thousand five hundred and thirty-nine gynaecology patients. METHODS: The NorVold Abuse Questionnaire (NorAQ) on abuse history and current health was mailed to all patients who consented to participate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reason for index visit at the gynaeocological clinic as well as several questions on health were recorded. General health status was measured as self-estimated health, psychosomatic symptoms (headache, abdominal pain, muscle, weakness, dizziness), number of health care visits and number of periods on sick leave. RESULT: A history of sexual abuse was reported by 20.7% of respondents. A history of sexual abuse was significantly associated with chronic pelvic pain as reason for index visit (P