Preprint
Article

Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis

Altmetrics

Downloads

10

Views

7

Comments

0

Submitted:

20 November 2024

Posted:

21 November 2024

You are already at the latest version

Alerts
Abstract

Background: Atrophic vulvovaginitis (VVA), a prevalent condition resulting from estrogen deficiency after menopause, is characterized by symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, burning, dyspareunia, and urinary discomfort. Standard treatment involves systemic estrogen replacement therapy (HRT) and localized estrogen treatments, such as estriol. However, many women with moderate to severe VVA may not fully benefit from estrogen therapy alone. Non-hormonal adjunctive treatments, such as pelvic floor exercises (e.g., Kegel exercises), are being explored to enhance clinical outcomes. Objectives: This study investigates the combined effect of local estriol therapy and Kegel exercises in improving VVA symptoms in postmenopausal women. Methods: Fifty postmenopausal women diagnosed with VVA were enrolled and divided into three severity groups: mild, moderate, and severe. All participants received estriol therapy (0.5 mg vaginal tablets daily for 10 days each month) for the first three months. Following this, Kegel exercises were introduced for an additional three months, alongside continued estriol therapy. Symptom improvement was evaluated after six months, with outcomes categorized as complete remission, partial remission, or no remission. Results: Significant improvements in symptom remission were observed, particularly in the moderate and severe groups. In the mild VVA group, 81.82% achieved complete remission with the combined therapy, compared to 68.18% with estriol alone. In the severe group, complete remission was observed in 40% of patients receiving the combined therapy, compared to 20% with estriol therapy alone. These findings suggest that Kegel exercises enhance the effectiveness of estriol by improving local blood circulation, which facilitates better estrogen absorption and distribution. Conclusion: The addition of Kegel exercises to local estriol therapy significantly improves symptom remission rates, especially in moderate and severe VVA cases. This approach offers a promising strategy for managing postmenopausal VVA, particularly in cases that do not fully respond to estrogen therapy alone.

Keywords: 
Subject: Medicine and Pharmacology  -   Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Copyright: This open access article is published under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, which permit the free download, distribution, and reuse, provided that the author and preprint are cited in any reuse.
Prerpints.org logo

Preprints.org is a free preprint server supported by MDPI in Basel, Switzerland.

Subscribe

© 2024 MDPI (Basel, Switzerland) unless otherwise stated