Vaginal Dilator Therapy: A Guide for Providers for Assessing Readiness and Supporting Patients Through the Process Successfully

Anne-Marie Amies Oelschlager; Katherine Debiec

doi:10.1016/j.jpag.2019.05.002

Vaginal Dilator Therapy: A Guide for Providers for Assessing Readiness and Supporting Patients Through the Process Successfully

J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2019 Aug;32(4):354-358. doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2019.05.002. Epub 2019 May 12.

Authors

Anne-Marie Amies Oelschlager¹, Katherine Debiec²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.

PMID: 31091469
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2019.05.002

Abstract

Vaginal dilator therapy is used to increase vaginal length for vaginal agenesis, to increase vaginal width for vaginal narrowing, and to prevent or treat stenosis after vaginal surgery. Although it is an effective therapy, many reproductive health providers have had little training on how to guide patients through this therapy. The purpose of this review is to educate providers on how to assess patient readiness and how to support patients through the process of vaginal dilation.

Keywords: Androgen insensitivity syndrome; Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome; Müllerian agenesis; Vaginal agenesis; Vaginal dilation; Vaginal stenosis; Vaginismus; Vaginoplasty.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Congenital Abnormalities / therapy*
Dilatation / instrumentation*
Female
Gynecology / education
Humans
Treatment Outcome
Vagina / abnormalities*

Supplementary concepts

Vagina, absence of