Introduction and objectives: Vulvodynia is the most common cause of female dyspareunia. The condition contributes to notable psychological distress, impairs the quality of personal relationships and impacts on sexual behaviour. The presentation will provide a psychosexual profile of vulvodynia patients focussing on age of onset, age distribution and analysis of the impact of vulvodynia on the emotional, social and sexual wellbeing of sufferers. Method: The psychosexual profile was developed via a retrospective review of 744 patients who provided written consent for their files to be used for research purposes. The study was approved by The University of Adelaide Human Research Ethics Committee. Results: The highest prevalence of vulvodynia in the study sample occured before the age of 25 years, with 75% of the 744 patients being under the age of 34. A comparison of primary (early onset) and secondary (later onset) vulvodynia patients showed the average age of symptoms onset to be 19.1 years for primary cases and 25.0 years for secondary cases. There were significant differences between the two groups in duration of symptom onset; age of first sexual intercourse; and the number of sexual partners, even when controlling for age. Marriage provided an effective buffer against depression and anxiety. Conclusion: Vulvodynia can affect women in all age groups but appears to have the greatest impact on young women and couples in the formative stages of social and sexual relationships. Given the psychological distress associated with vulvodynia, it is essential for early diagnosis, and treatment needs to focus not only on the medical aspects but also on the psychosexual implications of this pain syndrome.
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