You can develop vulvovaginitis at any time in your life, including in postmenopausal years. Some symptoms associated with vulvovaginitis, such as irritation, itching, burning or tenderness, may be worsened in postmenopausal women. This is caused by the thinning (atrophy) of vaginal tissues, especially those surrounding the opening of the vagina, due to a lack of estrogen hormones. Postmenopausal women can also contract candidal vulvovaginitis (also known as a yeast infection), though it is more common in pre-menopausal women. Treatment for vulvovaginitis in postmenopausal women may include antifungal or antibacterial medication, lubricants or hormone therapy in the form of tablets, creams, pills or vaginal rings. However, hormone therapy treatment of vulvovaginitis is reserved for extreme cases.
Vulvovaginitis Risk Factors
Recently Answered
-
2 AnswersA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersHormones do play a part in vaginal infections. Hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle and in pregnancy can encourage the growth of yeast (Candida albicans) that cause vaginal infections. Also, a lack of estrogen after menopause can lead to conditions that encourage vaginal infections. -
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredYour risk for contracting vulvovaginitis increases with certain activities that promote infection in the vagina. For example, you risk infection from a sexually transmitted disease by having sex with multiple partners (especially if they have a history of STD's) or not using a condom. Also, your risk increases if you practice poor genital hygiene habits, such as neglecting to wash your hands after going to the bathroom or before touching genital areas. Wiping from back to front can also cause an over abundance in the vagina of bacteria typically found in the anus. Age can be another risk factor, because the lack of the hormone estrogen in menopausal women and girls who have not gone through puberty (prepubertal girls) can thin the walls of the vagina and increase the risk of infection. Other risk factors include wearing tight clothing, as that can create an environment suited for bacteria or yeast infections; pregnancy; or previous vaginal infections.
-
2 AnswersA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersAs with any sexually transmitted disease (STD), your risk for contracting trichomonal vulvovaginitis increases by having multiple sexual partners and practicing unprotected sex. Most contraceptive methods do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, including birth control pills, spermicide, injections, or vaginal rings. Female condoms offer some protection, but generally less than male condoms. Male condoms offer the best protection against spreading or contracting STDs, though even they do not guarantee full protection. Furthermore, your risk for trichomonal vulvovaginitis increases if you use condoms incorrectly. Even if men do not exhibit symptoms of trichomonal vulvovaginitis, they can still pass it on to women during sex.
-
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredYour risk for contracting nonspecific vulvovaginitis increases with certain activities that promote infection in the vagina. Your risk increases if you practice poor genital hygiene habits such as neglecting to wash your hands after going to the bathroom or before touching genital areas. Wiping from back to front also raises risk. All these can cause an over abundance of bacteria typically found in the anus. Age can be another risk factor, because the lack of the hormone estrogen in menopausal women and girls who have not gone through puberty (prepubertal girls) can thin the walls of the vagina and increase the risk of infection. Other risk factors include wearing tight clothing, pregnancy, or previous vaginal infections.
-
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredBecause estrogen deficient vulvovaginitis is caused by a lack of estrogen in the body, the leading risk factor for developing it is menopause. But it can also occur after pregnancy with the loss of estrogen from the placenta, and during breastfeeding, when the body almost exclusively produces prolactin, the hormone that produces milk. Other risk factors include cigarette smoking, as that reduces blood flow to the vagina and obstructs the body's natural supply of estrogen. Certain procedures that affect estrogen production and increase your risk for atrophic vulvovaginitis include chemotherapy, ovarian surgery, pelvic radiation, or the effects of certain medications such as danazol or leuprolide. Women who have never given birth vaginally are also at risk.
-
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredBacterial vulvovaginitis is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria. The vagina normally houses many different forms of bacteria, but for unknown reasons, the bacteria Lactobacillus sp. can be replaced by abnormally high amounts of the bacteria Prevotella sp. and Mobiluncus sp. (anaerobic bacteria), as well as G. vaginalis, Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma, and others. Although the exact cause of this microbiological exchange is mysterious, cases of bacterial vulvovaginitis have been associated with female douching, multiple sex partners, or a new sexual partner.
-
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredAn infection of trichomonal vulvovaginitis is caused by the organism Trichomonas vaginalis. This single-celled parasite is passed through penis-to-vagina sexual intercourse or vulva-to-vulva contact with an infected person. Symptoms generally begin anywhere from five to 28 days after your first exposure to the parasite.
-
2 AnswersA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersVaginal infections are not always caused by bacteria or yeast. There is something called "noninfectious vaginitis," which is not really an infection at all. Rather, this is irritation of the vagina caused by soap, detergents, hygiene products, or synthetic clothing, which leads to vaginal itching. A virus, especially herpes, can result in a vaginal infection, as can a parasite like Trichomonas vaginalis, which causes the sexually transmitted disease called trichomoniasis. If you have symptoms of a vaginal infection and your doctor cannot find the cause, you should try to identify what products you could be using that may be causing vaginal irritation.
-
1 AnswerA
Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSymptoms of vulvovaginitis typically dissipate within a week of treatment with medication. However, vulvovaginitis can lead to serious, cause-specific complications if untreated. For example, if the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is the cause of vulvovaginitis, it can lead to serious conditions such as infertility in both women and men or an increased risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. If untreated, the vulvovaginitis infection may spread due to excessive itching, poor hygiene, or contact through sexual intimacy. Depending on the cause, vulvovaginitis may also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease.