Introduction Provoked vestibulodynia is a prevalent yet misunderstood women's sexual health issue. In particular, data concerning relationship characteristics and psychosexual functioning of partners of these women are scarce. Moreover, no research to date has examined the role of the partner in vestibulodynia. Aims This study aimed to characterize and compare the psychosexual profiles of women with vestibulodynia and their partners, in addition to exploring whether partner-related variables correlated with women's pain and associated psychosexual functioning. Methods Forty-three couples in which the woman suffered from vestibulodynia completed self-report questionnaires focusing on their sexual functioning, dyadic adjustment, and psychological adjustment. Women were diagnosed using the cotton-swab test during a standardized gynecological examination. They also took part in a structured interview during which they were asked about their pain during intercourse and frequency of intercourse. They also completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of their partners’ responses to the pain. Main Outcome Measures Dependent measures for both members of the couple included the Sexual History Form, the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Women completed a horizontal analog scale assessing the intensity of their pain during intercourse and reported their frequency of intercourse per month. Results Findings show that women with vestibulodynia and their partners did not differ from population norms with regard to global sexual functioning, dyadic adjustment and psychological adjustment. However, mean frequency of intercourse was lower than the standard for this age group. Also, women had significantly poorer sexual functioning than men. In addition, a regression analysis revealed that partner solicitousness and hostility were significantly associated with higher levels of pain during intercourse. Conclusions Results suggest that although the psychosexual and relationship characteristics of partners of women with vestibulodynia are within norms, their responses may play a role in the experience of pain.

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Introduction: Provoked vestibulodynia affects 12% of the general female population and more specifically, 21% of women aged less than 30 years. Primary and secondary vestibulodynia are hypothesized to represent the endpoints of different etiologic pathways, although there is still little research addressing potential distinctions between these two groups, particularly with regard to sexuality. Aims: To compare sexual activity and behavior of women with provoked primary vestibulodynia (PVD1) and secondary vestibulodynia (PVD2) against age-matched controls. Methods: Fiftyseven participants (N = 57), mean age 25.72 (18 -41) recruited from a gynecology clinic underwent a gynaecological examination and completed a self-report questionnaire: 20 (N = 20) were diagnosed with primary provoked vestibulodynia (PVD1), 19 (N = 19) with secondary provoked vestibulodynia (PVD2), and 18 (N = 18) were medically confirmed as no-pain controls. Main outcome: To verify any differences in the sexual behavior between primary, secondary vestibulodynias and controls. Results: Mean pain duration differed significantly in participants with PVD1 at 73.8 months against those with PVD2 at 37.4 months (p = 0.003). Frequency of sexual activity also differed significantly between the three groups (p = 0.012): the controls were at 27.8% against 0% in primary and secondary vestibulodynias for once or more a day. No significant difference was observed for the sexual arousal time and masturbation frequency. Vaginal penetration was overrepresented in controls (p < 0.001) contrary to fellatio frequency (p = 0.016). Pain digital test was significantly different between the three groups in one finger (3.85 vs 0.08), two fingers (4.39 vs 0.06) or three fingers (5.39 vs 0.56) (PVD1 against controls), lubricated inserted fingers for pain verification (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Provoked vestibulodynia generates problems in the sexual response and coital activity, this syndrome reflecting absence of pre-existing sexual problems, notably in the masturbatory activity and oral receptive female sex.

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