Vulvodynia incidence and remission rates among adult women - A 2-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and remission rates of vulvodynia over a 2-year period. METHODS: A 2-year follow-up survey was sent to the University of Michigan Women's Health Registry members who had participated in a previously reported, validated survey. Changes in clinical status, incidence, and remission rates for vulvodynia were estimated, as were factors associated with new onset or remission of symptoms, using univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Of 1,037 women enrolled in the initial study, 744 women (71.7%) completed an online or written follow-up survey between September 2006 and March 2007. Of the 372 asymptomatic women controls at initial enrollment, 13 (3.5%, 95% confidence interval 1.6-5.4%) had developed vulvodynia during the 2-year follow-up period; nine (2.2%) of these had ongoing symptoms. Of 45 women with vulvodynia at initial enrollment, 10 (22.2%, 95% confidence interval 10.1-34.4%) indicated their symptoms had resolved. Factors at enrollment that were associated with incidence of vulvodynia were younger age and history of pain after intercourse. Remission was more common in women who did not have pain after intercourse and in those who reported less severe pain at enrollment. CONCLUSION: Based on 2-year follow-up, each year approximately one in 50 women develop symptoms of vulvodynia, and one in 10 women with vulvodynia report remission of symptoms.