Vaginal Agenesis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

DokterSehat.Com- Apparently not all women are born with perfect genital organs. The disorder is known as Vaginal Agenesis. Do you or a family member experience Vaginal Agenesis?

Read information related to Vaginal Agenesis to find out what Vaginal Agenesis is, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, complications, and treatment of Vaginal Agenesis.

What is Vaginal Agenesis?

Vaginal Agenesis is a congenital disorder in which a woman does not have a vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. Patients with Agenesis Vagina may have these genital organs but are less than perfect.

This congenital disorder is a rare inherited disorder that is not related to any race. The prevalence of vaginal Agenesis is 1: 5000. As a congenital abnormality, of course Vaginal Agenesis occurs when a person is still in the womb of his mother.

At that time, the development of genital organs is imperfect or failed. Imperfections in these developments result in one or more genital organs not being formed at all or imperfect.

However, as long as the woman still has a healthy ovary, then she does not experience secondary sexual developmental disorders and is still likely to have children even if she runs an IVF program.

Vaginal Agenesis is often associated with the kidneys, bones and heart. People who experience Vaginal Agenesis usually also have abnormalities in the kidneys, bones, and heart. Vaginal Agenesis is also known by other terms, namely Mullerian Aplasia or Mayer-Rokitansky Syndrome, or Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome.

Causes of Vaginal Agenesis

The cause of vaginal Agenesis is still unclear. However, scientists suspect this happens that at a certain time when the womb enters the 20th week, the development of the mullerian channel does not develop properly. As a result, the vagina or uterus fails to form or not fully formed.

Apart from the presence of imperfect fetal development factors, the occurrence of Vaginal Agenesis is also associated with several other congenital disorders, such as Mayer-von Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser's Syndrome, Androgen Insensitivity syndrome (AIS), and Mixed Gonadal Dysgesis.

Can Vaginal Agenesis be inherited?

There is little evidence that Vaginal Agenesis is inherited. Although this disorder is a genetic inheritance, a family history of Vaginal Agenesis is not a risk factor for this disorder.

Symptoms of Vaginal Agenesis

There are several symptoms of vaginal Agenesis that can be seen. There are symptoms that can be seen from birth and some are only seen when entering the teen phase.

The following are some of the signs and symptoms of Vaginal Agenesis:

1. There is no vaginal opening

Patients with Vaginal Agenesis who do not have a vagina will have symptoms in the form of invisibility of the vaginal opening.

2. Primary amenorrhea

Signs and symptoms of Vaginal Agenesis are often only discovered when the girl reaches adolescence and hasn't menstruated (because she doesn't have a uterus) even though her peers have menstruated.

3. Severe menstrual pain

Women who experience Vaginal Agenesis may experience menstrual periods. However, there are some inconveniences that will be experienced. Some women with the Vaginal Agenesis condition will experience severe menstrual pain.

Severe menstrual pain can include uterine cramps, abdominal pain, and difficulty moving. The severe pain is caused by the accumulation of blocked menstrual flow due to the absence of the vagina.

When to see a doctor?

Symptoms in the form of the absence of a vaginal opening can be known by doctors since birth. However, if you have a vaginal opening but have not experienced menstrual periods until you reach the age of 15 or when that age has severe menstrual pain, then you can see a doctor for further examination.

Diagnosis of Vaginal Agenesis

The diagnosis of Vaginal Agenesis depends on the age and condition of the patient. If the symptoms of vaginal Agenesis include the absence of a vaginal opening, the doctor can simply look at the condition of the vaginal opening of the baby girl.

However, if the patient's age has reached the adolescent phase, then there are several other diagnostic measures. The first step the doctor will take is to dig up your medical history information and conduct a physical examination related to the symptoms you are experiencing.

The following are some of the tests that need to be undertaken by sufferers of Vaginal Agenesis who are already in their teens:

  1.Kidney examination - to determine the.  conditions and abnormalities that arise

2.Examination of secondary sex signs - breast development, pubic hair, armpit hair

3.Blood test - to look at chromosomes and measure hormone levels in order to rule out possibilities other than Vaginal Agenesis

4.Ultrasound - to see the condition of the patient's uterus and ovaries

5.MRI - to get clearer visualizations of the patient's reproductive and kidney systems

Complications of Vaginal Agenesis

Complications that occur in conditions of Vaginal Agenesis vary depending on the patient's condition. The following are some complications of Vaginal Agenesis:

1.Can not get pregnant (if the ovaries and uterus are disturbed)

2.Can not have children (if the ovary is disturbed)

Treatment of Vaginal Agenesis

Vaginal Agenesis Treatment is mostly done in cases where a woman has no vagina or is imperfect.

The following are some ways to deal with Vaginal Agenesis if the problem is with the vaginal opening:

1. Self-dilation

The doctor will recommend vaginal dilation without surgery. You will be asked to press the dilator on the vaginal skin for 30 minutes to 2 hours a day. It may take several months to get the right results.

2. Dilation through intimate relationships

Apart from using a dilator (a special widening device), widening of the vaginal opening can also be done through sexual contact. This is done on patients who already have a partner.

3. Operation

If attempts at widening of the vagina both with the dilator and sexual intercourse are not successful, then the Vaginal Agenesis treatment is carried out by undergoing surgery. The surgical procedure performed is vaginoplasty to make the vagina.

Source:

1.MayoClinic:Vaginal Agenesis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginal-agenesis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355737 [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

2.MayoClinic: Vaginal agenesis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginal-agenesis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355741 [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

3.UrologyCare: What is Vaginal Agenesis? https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/vaginal-abnormalities-vaginal-agenesis [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

4.ChildrenHospital: Vaginal Agenesis. http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/v/vaginal-agenesis [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

5.TexasChildren: Vaginal Agenesis. https://www.texaschildrens.org/health/vaginal-agenesis [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

6.ISSM: What is vaginal agenesis/Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser syndrome? https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-is-vaginal-agenesis-mayerrokitanskykuesterhauser-syndrome/ [diakses pada 16 Juli 2019]

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