[Vaginismus--a psychiatric perspective, "secrets" and other psychodynamic causes]

Vaginismus is a disorder involving both psychiatry and gynecology. Psychiatric help is sought in only a small proportion of cases, although it is probable that the psychological etiology of the disorder is more frequent than generally recognized. This article deals with the causes and psychological circumstances of the disorder. Five cases are presented. In the first three cases, primary vaginismus caused unconsummated marriage in young women of religious or traditional background. In these cases a "secret" was revealed relating to a previous sexually related experience. This provides the basis for therapy. The other cases describe secondary vaginismus which appeared in older women who developed the symptom after a number of years of marriage. This article discusses the different psychotherapeutic approaches for the two types of cases. In the former cases, therapy may be brief and the prognosis is favorable. In the second case type, there is often more significant personality or marital pathology requiring prolonged and extensive psychotherapy. The authors stress the need for physicians to be mindful of cases of vaginismus requiring psychiatric intervention rather than gynecological treatment.