Stéphanie Thibault-Gagnon

• Queen's University

Background: Digital intravaginal palpation remains the favored method for clinical assessment of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in women; however, there is growing interest in using transperineal ultrasound imaging (TPUSI). TPUSI does not involve vaginal penetration, making it particularly relevant for PFM assessment in women with genito-pelvi...

Objective: Pelvic morphology has been suggested to reflect increased tone and reduced strength of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) in women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) compared to healthy controls. We aimed to determine whether there are differences in pelvic morphology in the resting state, on maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), or on maxi...

Introduction Non-medical and non-surgical treatments for provoked vestibulodynia target psychological, sexual, and pelvic floor muscle factors that maintain the condition. Aim The goal of the study was to compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and physical therapy (PT) on pain and psychosexual outcomes in women with provoked ves...

Introduction: Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) involvement is suspected in the pathophysiology of provoked vestibulodynia (PVD); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. PFM morphology can be inferred from the biometry of the levator hiatus determined through dynamic ultrasound imaging. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the nature of...

Aim: Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) dysfunctions, especially elevated tone or tension, are suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). However, the involvement of the PFMs remains misunderstood as the assessment of muscle tone is complex and requires a thorough understanding of muscle physiology in relat...

Introduction and hypothesis The levator ani is thought to play an important role in sexual function; however, to date little literature has been published on the impact of delivery–related levator trauma on female sexual function. We hypothesised that delivery-related levator trauma has a negative impact on women’s reports of pelvic floor and sexu...

Our understanding of the sexual pain disorders vaginismus and dyspareunia has been fundamentally altered over the past two decades due to increased attention and empirically sound research in this domain. This increased knowledge base has included a shift from a dualistic view of the etiology of painful and/or difficult vaginal penetration being du...