Vaginal Agenesis and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Psychosocial Sequelae of Diagnosis and Neovagina Formation

Abstract

Eleven patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster syndrome (MRK) and 7 patients with adrenogenital syndrome (CVAH) were interviewed and tested pre- and postoperatively. MRK subjects were operated on with a modified Vecchietti procedure, CVAH subjects underwent genitoplastic and clitoroplastic operation. Psychosocial sequelae of and coping with malformation and treatment were assessed with semistructured interviews and the Giessen test. Anatomical and functional results of the vaginoplastic operation were excellent, and sexual satisfaction correlated with coping. 7/11 MRK patients were capable of good to fair adaptation to the malformation, whereas CVAH patients suffered severe distortions of body image. The malformation caused narcissistic damage in all cases. Circumstances of diagnosis, prevailing defense mechanism and consequences for counselling are discussed.