Overcome Pelvic Pain (POPPY)
Official title: The National Program to Overcome Pelvic Pain studY (POPPY)
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11144921 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers trauma-informed yoga for women with chronic pelvic pain to help reduce pain, anxiety, and improve daily function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $813,451 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AT012461-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144921 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult women with chronic pelvic pain, including those with pelvic floor dysfunction or histories of sexual or interpersonal trauma, are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic pelvic pain, men, or patients whose pain is clearly due to a specific surgical or medical condition may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would be offered a trauma-informed yoga program that uses gentle postures, pelvic-floor awareness, breathing, relaxation, and mindful body practices. The classes are designed to be sensitive to past sexual or interpersonal trauma so participants feel safe and supported. Researchers at UCSF will deliver the program and track changes in pain, mood, physical function, and quality of life over time. The goal is to create a low-cost, accessible therapy many women can use without repeated specialist visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a widely available, better-tolerated way for women to reduce pelvic pain and related anxiety and disability.
How similar studies have gone: Some small studies of yoga for chronic or pelvic pain show promise, but larger rigorous trials—especially using a trauma-informed protocol—are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Alison — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Huang, Alison
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Measuring pelvic floor muscle fitness in women with myofascial pelvic pain
A non-invasive imaging method uses near-infrared spectroscopy to map how well pelvic floor muscles work in adult women with myofascial pelvic pain.
-
Decoding Dysmenorrhea: Longitudinal Pain Phenotypes in Adolescents and Young Adults
A study on how menstrual pain develops over time in teenagers and young adults, exploring brain and behavior to understand why some have ongoing pain.
-
Exploring allergy-based triggers to prevent UCPPS flare-ups
A short, patient-friendly study will look at whether allergy-related antibodies can help predict and prevent flare-ups in people with urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
-
Targeted pelvic warmth/cooling device to relieve pelvic pain
A low-cost, portable device uses controlled temperature changes to soothe pelvic pain from conditions like endometriosis and bladder issues, with the goal of reducing pain and inflammation without opioids.
-
Dual Cromolyn-Cetirizine oral capsule to help men with chronic pelvic pain
A new oral medicine combining cromolyn sodium and cetirizine is being developed to help adults with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain by targeting immune and nerve-related pathways.
-
Sacral nerve stimulation for chronic pelvic pain
A study to see if a minimally invasive nerve-stimulation therapy can help reduce chronic pelvic pain and improve quality of life in adult women.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.