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Does vaginal size impact sexual activity and function?

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

This study seeks to determine if total vaginal length (TVL) or genital hiatus (GH) impact sexual activity and function.

Methods

Heterosexual women ≥ 40 years were recruited from urogynecology and gynecology offices. TVL and GH were assessed using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification exam. Women completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and were dichotomized into either normal function (FSFI total > 26) or sexual dysfunction (FSFI ≤ 26).

Results

Five hundred five women were enrolled; 333 (67%) reported sexual activity. While sexually active women had longer vaginas than women who were not active (9.1 cm ± 1.2 versus 8.9 cm ± 1.3, p = 0.04), significance was explained by age differences. GH measurements did not differ (3.2 cm ± 1.1 versus 3.1 cm ± 1.1, p = 0.58). In sexually active women, TVL was weakly correlated with FSFI total score, but GH was not. TVL and GH did not differ between women with normal FSFI scores and those with sexual dysfunction.

Conclusions

Vaginal size did not affect sexual activity or function.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported in part by DHHS/NIH/NCRR/GCRC grant number 5M01 RR 00997.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Megan O. Schimpf & Heidi S. Harvie

  2. Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Tola B. Omotosho & Rebecca G. Rogers

  3. Florida Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, PA, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    Lee B. Epstein

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY, USA

    Marjorie Jean-Michel

  5. Obstetrics and Gynecology, SUNY-Downstate, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Cedric K. Olivera

  6. Women’s Continence Center of Greater Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA

    Kristin E. Rooney

  7. Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Sunil Balgobin

  8. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Okechukwu A. Ibeanu

  9. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Rajiv B. Gala

  10. 801 Spruce St, 7th floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    Megan O. Schimpf

Authors
  1. Megan O. Schimpf
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  2. Heidi S. Harvie
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  3. Tola B. Omotosho
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  4. Lee B. Epstein
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  5. Marjorie Jean-Michel
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  6. Cedric K. Olivera
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  7. Kristin E. Rooney
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  8. Sunil Balgobin
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  9. Okechukwu A. Ibeanu
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  10. Rajiv B. Gala
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  11. Rebecca G. Rogers
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Consortia

for the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons Fellows’ Pelvic Research Network

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Megan O. Schimpf.

Additional information

Additional study sites: Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT; Urogynecology Specialists, Louisville, KY; Cleveland Clinic, Weston, FL; Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY; Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY

Research sponsored by and through the SGS Fellows’ Pelvic Research Network

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Schimpf, M.O., Harvie, H.S., Omotosho, T.B. et al. Does vaginal size impact sexual activity and function?. Int Urogynecol J 21, 447–452 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-1051-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-1051-2

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