051 Psychosocial Predictors of Pain in Primary Vaginismus

Abstract

To discover different psychosexual events that may increase the pain associated with primary vaginismus. Approximately 391 patient encounters were used for this data. Information was gathered through interviews and surveys. Patient consent was obtained prior to collection. Data was then tabulated and formatted utilizing chi square. Pain, on a scale from 1 to 10, increased by a statistically significant amount (P=less than 0.001) when women were exposed to a primary vaginismus risk factor (diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression, psychosexual trauma, pressure from others to remain abstinent until marriage, or being brought up in a religious or strict household). While risk factors for primary vaginismus are well known, the diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression, psychosexual trauma, pressure from others to remain abstinent until marriage, or being brought up in a religious or strict household increased the pain intensity experienced women in this study group. As pain is often a subjective evaluation of disease state, increased pain scores may reflect a more severe, and therefore more difficult to treat, manifestation of vaginismus. Knowing this, it is the opinion of the authors that patients may benefit from concomitant psychologic counseling to address these issues during and/or after physical or pharmacologic therapies for vaginismus.