Obstetric outcomes in women with vulvodynia or vaginismus

Purpose Vulvodynia and vaginismus are common chronic vulvar pain disorders for which there is a paucity of literature on pregnancy outcomes of affected women. The study objective was to evaluate the associations between vulvodynia and vaginismus and obstetric outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study including all birth-related admissions from 1999 to October 2015 extracted from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample from the United States. Women with vulvodynia or vaginismus were identified using the appropriate ICD-9 codes. Multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for baseline maternal characteristics, were performed to evaluate the effect of vulvodynia and vaginismus on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Results A total of 879 obstetrical patients with vulvodynia or vaginismus were identified in our cohort of 13,792,544 patients admitted for delivery in US hospitals between 1999 and 2015, leading to an overall prevalence of 6 cases per 100,000 births. Between 1999 and 2015, the annual prevalence of vulvodynia or vaginismus rose from 2 to 16 cases per 100,000. Vulvodynia and vaginismus were associated with increased risks of eclampsia, chorioamnionitis, post-term pregnancy, cesarean delivery, instrumental vaginal delivery, blood transfusions, prolonged hospital stays, congenital anomalies and intrauterine growth restriction. Conclusion Vulvodynia and vaginismus in pregnancy appears underreported in pregnancy compared to reported population rates. Prevalence of reporting seems to have increased in the last decades and is associated with increased risks of maternal and newborn morbidities. Obstetrical caregivers should be aware of the underreporting of these conditions and the associated adverse effects when counseling obstetrical patients.