Are vaginal symptoms ever normal? A review of the literature

MedGenMed Medscape General Medicine

Volumn 6, Issue 4, 2004, Pages

  Anderson, Matthew ^a   Karasz, Alison ^a   Friedland, Sarah ^b  

^a ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DATA ANALYSIS; DISEASE ASSOCIATION; GYNECOLOGY; HUMAN; MEDICAL LITERATURE; MEDLINE; MENSTRUAL CYCLE; ODOR; PATIENT CARE; PHYSICAL EXAMINATION; PHYSICIAN; PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE; PRURITUS; QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS; QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS; REVIEW; SYMPTOMATOLOGY; VAGINA DISCHARGE; VAGINA SECRETION; VAGINITIS;

EID: 25144519194     PISSN: 15310132     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Review

References (32)

1. Kent HL. Epidemiology of vaginitis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1991;165(4 Pt 2):1168-1176.
2. Anonymous. Technical Bulletin No. 226 Vaginitis. 1996. Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
3. Mou S. Vulvovaginitis. In: Rakel RE, Bope ET, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2003. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2003: 1149-1152.
4. Mulley AG. Approach to the patient with a vaginal discharge. In: Goroll AH, Mulley AG, eds. Primary Care Medicine: Office Evaluation and Management of the Adult Patient. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 2000: 702-707.
5. Schaaf VM, Perez-Stable EJ, Borchardt K. The limited value of symptoms and signs in the diagnosis of vaginal infections. Arch Intern Med. 1990;150:1929-1933.
6. Berg AO, Heidrich FE, Fihn SD, et al. Establishing the cause of genitourinary symptoms in women in a family practice. Comparison of clinical examination and comprehensive microbiology. JAMA. 1984;251:620-625.
7. Bergman JJ, Berg AO. How useful are symptoms in the diagnosis of Candida vaginitis? J Fam Pract. 1983;16:509-511.
8. Blake DR, Duggan A, Quinn T, Zenilman J, Joffe A. Evaluation of vaginal infections in adolescent women: can it be done without a speculum? Pediatrics. 1998;102(4 Pt 1):939-944.
9. Sobel JD. Vaginitis. N Engl J Med. 1997;337:1896-1903.
10. Karasz A, Anderson M. The vaginitis monologues: women's experiences of vaginal complaints in a primary care setting. Soc Sci Med. 2003;56:1013-1021.
11. Soper DE. Genitourinary infections and sexually transmitted diseases. In: Berek J, ed. Novak's Gynecology. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2002: 453-470.
12. Thompson LC, Ryden J, McGregor JA. Vaginitis and sexually transmitted diseases. In: Ryden J, Blumenthal PD, eds. Practical Gynecology: a Guide for the Primary Care Physician. Philadelphia, Pa: American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine; 2002: 198-240.
13. Carey JC. Pelvic inflammatory disease and vaginitis. In: Noble J, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby, Inc; 2001: 397-402.
14. Smith RP. Vulvitis and Vaginal Infections. Gynecology in Primary Care. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; 1997: 603-632.
15. Di Saia PJ. Vulvar and vaginal diseases. In: Scott JR, Di Saia PJ, Hammond CB, Spellacy WN, eds. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gyencology. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999: 779-804.
16. Swartz MH. Textbook of Physical Diagnosis, History and Examination. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2002: 503.
17. Burke AE, Smith JM. Nonmalignant vulvovaginal and cervical disorders and chronic pelvic pain. In: Barker LR, Burton JR, Zieve PD, eds. Principles of Ambulatory Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2003: 1591-1609.
18. Ingalls RR, Rice PA. Sexually transmitted diseases. In: Manning S, ed. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 1996: 856-857.
19. Stone A, Gamble CJ. The quantity of vaginal fluid. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1959;78:279-281.
20. Godley MJ. Quantitation of vaginal discharge in healthy volunteers. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1985;92:739-742.
21. Moghissi KS, Syner FN, Evans TN. A composite picture of the menstrual cycle. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1972;114:405-418.
22. Billings EL, Brown JB, Billings JJ, Burger HG. Symptoms and hormonal changes accompanying ovulation. Lancet. 1972;1:282-284.
23. Billings JJ. Cervical mucus: the biological marker of fertility and infertility. Int J Fertil. 1981;26:182-195.
24. Klaus H. Natural family planning: a review. Obstet Gynecol Surv. 1982;37:128-150.
25. Eschenbach DA, Thwin SS, Patton DL, et al. Influence of the normal menstrual cycle on vaginal tissue, discharge, and microflora. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;30:901-907.
26. Dravnieks A, Krotoszynski BK, Keith L, Bush IM. Odor threshold and gas-chromatographic assays of vaginal odors: changes with nitrofurazone treatment. J Pharm Sci. 1970;59:495-501.
27. Doty RL, Ford M, Preti G, Huggins GR. Changes in the intensity and pleasantness of human vaginal odors during the menstrual cycle. Science. 1975;190:1316-1318.
28. Priestley CJ, Jones BM, Dhar J, Goodwin L. What is normal vaginal flora? Genitourinary Med. 1997;73:23-28.
29. Martin E. The Woman in the Body: A Cultural Analysis of Reproduction. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press; 2001.
30. Sackett DL, Richardson WS, Rosenberg W, Haynes RB. Evidence-based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM. 1st ed. San Francisco, Calif: Churchill Livingstone; 1997.
31. Willard M. Vulvovaginitis and cervicitis. In: Taylor RB, ed. Family Medicine: Principles and Practice. New York, NY: Springer Verlag New York, Inc.; 2002: 867-873.
32. Zola IK. Socio-cultural factors in the seeking of medical care. Transcultural Psychiatry Res. 1963;14:62-65.