Social Stigmas Prove Challenge to Vaginal Atrophy Sufferers

Thursday 11 April 2013, Amsterdam

Cultural and social modesty is leaving women uncomfortable discussing Postmenopausal Vaginal Atrophy (PVA) – a condition which goes underdiagnosed worldwide, states a new report by research.

The new report found that up to 50% of postmenopausal women experience symptoms of vaginal atrophy, but only a quarter of these individuals seek medical treatment, and cultural and social attitudes toward sexuality and aging play a huge role in this.

The urogenital tract, including the vagina, bladder and pelvic floor muscles, contains estrogen receptors, and so estrogen depletion causes deterioration of tissues and discomfort in this area. PVA causes vasomotor symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats and mood swings, and urogenital symptoms, such as vaginal discomfort, pain during urination, and pain during sexual intercourse. While vasomotor symptoms typically resolve over time, urogenital symptoms can remain a persistent problem.

Women may neglect to report PVA symptoms due to the assumption that they are an inevitable consequence of the aging process, or due to embarrassment stemming from cultural norms, as symptoms are closely associated with sexual function. Geographical patterns have been found in the prevalence of PVA, with women in the US more likely to discuss PVA symptoms with their doctor than European women, who are in turn far more likely to have open conversations about sexuality and menopause with their doctor than Japanese women. These differing tendencies in discussing personal matters with healthcare professionals dictate the rates of PVA diagnosis and treatment across countries.

However, today women are living longer than ever, spending around a third of their life in the postmenopausal state, and attitudes towards the menopause transition are changing as a result. Certain regions are seeing social stigmas lessening as women become more vocal about their experiences, causing a rise in disease awareness, and consequent increases in the numbers of women seeking treatment.

Cancer survivors are also at risk of developing PVA, as many surgical, endocrine, and chemotherapeutic cancer treatments can cause or exacerbate vaginal atrophy.

Maintaining sexual activity is the only natural remedy that exists for PVA, but women suffering severe symptoms, or who have lost their partner, may turn to topical ointments and hormone replacement therapy as treatment options.

During 2012, there were 31.56 million prevalent cases of PVA across the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan. GlobalData epidemiologists forecast that by 2022 there will be 36.14 million prevalent cases, showing an annual growth rate of 1.45%, as the global population continues to age.