Sexual penetration cognitions in women with genito-pelvic pain and penetration disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

Cognition and beliefs of women about vaginal penetration can be important in understanding the basic mechanisms of sexual disorders and their treatment process, especially genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD). Thus, as a systematic review and meta-analysis, the present study aimed to compare the beliefs and cognitions related to vaginal penetration in women with and without GPPPD.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, articles published in the international databases of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, ProQuest and Cochrane Library were searched using keywords related to vaginal penetration cognition. Inclusion criterion was all case-control studies which used the standard Vaginal Penetration Cognition Questionnaire (VPCQ). There were no language or time limitations. Egger's test was used to investigate the possibility of bias in publishing the results. Data analysis was performed using STATA software version 12 (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX).

Results

In this study, five articles were analyzed after assessing their quality by using Newcastle–Ottawa scale. The difference between the mean scores of Control cognition, catastrophic and pain cognitions, self-image cognitions, positive cognitions and genital incompatibility cognitions in the two groups with and without GPPPD was 0.450, 2.312, 1.528, −1.343 and 1.881, respectively, and the two groups were significantly different (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

According to the results of the present study, women with GPPPD had higher levels of negative cognition about catastrophic and pain cognition, genital incompatibility, self-image and perceived control during the vaginal penetration than women without GPPPD. They had also lower levels of positive cognition and beliefs associated with vaginal penetration. Therefore, the cognitive dimensions of vaginal penetration should be considered in the treatment and sexual counseling of women with GPPPD, and some plans have to be designed for interventional measures in this regard.

Keywords:

• Cognitions
• vaginismus
• penetration disorder
• sexual pain
• genito-pelvic pain

Acknowledgements

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences as a part of the Ph.D. thesis of Mojdeh Banaei, Ph.D. student of reproductive health in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The authors thank all the sites and participants involved in this work. Hereby, we would like to thank the Research Administration of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran.

Disclosure statement

There is no conflict of interest for this research work.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mojdeh Banaei

Mojdeh Banaei, PhD Candidate of Reproductive Health in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Member of Mother and Child Welfare Research Center in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Email: [email protected]. Field of interests are Sexual Health, Sexuality, Sexual Risk Behaviors, Pregnancy and Postpartum.

Nourossadat Kariman

Dr Nourossadat Kariman, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]. Field of interests are Sexual Health, Reproductive Health, Pregnancy, Child bearing and Quantitative and Qualitative studies.

Giti Ozgoli

Dr Giti Ozgoli, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]. Field of interests are Sexual Health, Sexuality, Complementary in midwifery, Reproductive Behavior and Quantitative and Qualitative studies.

Maliheh Nasiri

Dr Maliheh Nasiri, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Email: [email protected]. Field of interests is Biostatistics.

Azam Khiabani

Azam Khiabani, MSc of Midwifery, Department of Midwifery, Mother and Child Welfare Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Email: [email protected]. Field of interests are Sexual Health, Sexuality, Pregnancy and Child Birth.