Role of personal hygiene in managing patients with vulvovaginal atrophy

Background . Vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) leads to sexual dysfunction and reduces the overall quality of life of affected women. At the same time, the development of individual rehabilitation programs for women with VVA remains challenging. Objective : To study the profile of hygienic factors contributing to better control of VVA manifestations. Material and methods . The study included 110 women with VVA of different etiologies. A questionnaire was developed to identify the connections between VVA and hygienic factors, to establish the nature and cause of clinical manifestations, and to determine the profile of measures and means used in personal vulvar hygiene. Results . Of 110 women, 72 (65.5%) complained of vulvar itching. An analysis of the frequency of hygiene procedures and used intimate hygiene products revealed that 23.6% of the studied women wash once a day, 55.5% use special intimate gels for vulvar hygiene, and 20.0% prefer synthetic underwear. Conclusion . The study revealed a significant proportion of VVA patients to be non-compliant with hygiene recommendations. Maintaining vulvar hygiene is one of the key factors contributing to the control of VVA manifestations. Proper information and compliance with hygiene recommendations can significantly affect the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for women with VVA.