Vaginal wind - a new pelvic symptom

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors, investigations and treatments for vaginal wind. A prospective longitudinal study was carried out at a tertiary care referral centre at St George's Hospital, London. Six consecutive women with symptomatic vaginal air were enrolled in the study, which used a comprehensive questionnaire for vaginal air, prolapse, urinary, bowel and sexual symptoms, vaginal examination following the Standardized ICS Scoring System for prolapse, physiotherapist evaluation, and analysis of the treatment. Main outcome measures were the effect of the patient's age, weight, parity, mode of delivery, fetal weight, and the treatment (conservative and surgical) on the frequency of vaginal wind. The mean age of the six women was 32.8+/-9.9 years (range 21-52), the mean BMI was 23.1+/-5.5 (range 15.2-32.2), all women were premenopausal and five were parous. The mean estimated frequency of the symptoms was 20.0+/-8.1 per day (range 10-40). All the patients completed a course of pelvic floor physiotherapy and one patient had a posterior repair and later a Fenton operation without improvement. A modified 'Bard' pessary was the main form of treatment and resolved the symptoms in two women. Vaginal wind causes significant distress and embarrassment to sufferers. Further information on risk factors, evaluation and treatment modalities should be obtained.