Rokitansky syndrome: women born without a vagina
The Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKHS, acronym in English) is probably the most unknown and complex genital disease that a woman can suffer.
In today's article we will try to identify the signs and symptoms of this disorder, as well as its causes and the possible treatments to improve the sexual and psychological health of the women who suffer from it.
Rokitansky syndrome: definition
It is a congenital malformation which occurs during pregnancy, and results in the birth of girls who do not develop, or incipiently develop the tubes of the uterus, neck and vagina. The ovaries, on the other hand, are present and functional.
Apparently, the appearance of the vagina is common, with internal and external lips, clitoris and hymen, but behind the hymen, there is an "insurmountable wall" or, in the best of cases, a very short canal.
Prevalence of Rokitansky Syndrome
Currently, a prevalence of 1 out of every 5000 women with this affectation.
As indicated by Andrea González-Villablanca, journalist and founder of the blog Nymphs of Rokitansky: "One out of 5,000 women is diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome, one in 5,000 women suffers from uterine-vaginal agenesis, one in 5,000 women does not menstruate, can not get pregnant, one in 5,000 women fears to start a relationship: One in 5,000 women seeks answers, support and guidance One in every five thousand women deserves to be informed One in every 5,000 women is like you ".
Diagnosis
As a general rule, diagnosis is made in the teenage stage , because patients go to the gynecologist for not showing menstruation (primary amenorrhea it is the main characteristic of the syndrome). The consequence of this lack of menstruation, will translate in the future into the inability to have biological children .
In other cases, it is the great difficulty to have sexual relations which causes patients to consult. Let us think that in the most extreme cases, only the outermost part of the vagina was formed, finding us with a "wall", behind the hymen, not with a cavity, as normally happens.
Possible anatomical treatments
Once diagnosed, there are two alternative procedures, depending on the severity, to solve the problem.
Dilatation
In case of women who do have a small cavity, vaginal dilators are usually used, which will increase in size, for a time until they reach a depth of 9 - 11 centimeters. Approximately 20 minutes per day are recommended.
Surgical intervention
It is very common to find that there is no type of cavity, just a wall behind the hymen. In this situation, doctors of recognized prestige, like Iván Mañero, intervene using a piece of intestine, to make with it the vaginal cavity. After a month of recovery, patients should use the dilators, as in the previous case.
What happens at the psychological level?
The diagnosis of this disorder usually causes a strong emotional stress in the patient, due to the implications in future sexual and reproductive life.
The inability to get pregnant due to the absence of a uterus is usually the most difficult aspect to accept. Many of these women wanted to have biological children and the psychological impact is very strong when they are aware of what is happening. Therefore, it is very important psychological treatment , to accompany the patient throughout the process.
A psychotherapeutic consultation is recommended to evaluate the patient and the parents and discuss the ideal and opportune moment for the construction of the vagina or the use of non-surgical treatments. It must be made clear that from the beginning techniques are available that allow the creation of a neovagina suitable for an almost normal sexual life.
Common psychological symptoms in women Rockitansky syndrome
- Sadness feelings. Many relatives affirm that since they knew the disorder they seem "another person".
- Lack of self-confidence, withdrawn and introverted
- Difficulty to maintain sexual and loving relationships
- If they have a partner at the time of diagnosis, it is common for them to immediately think about abandoning the relationship or even boycotting it, claiming that they are incomplete women, unable to make anyone happy.
Psychological treatment
There are associations dedicated to the emotional support of people and family members with this type of condition . In them, they listen to patients and put them in contact with other people who have the same disease; they are integrated directly or via the internet into group therapies where they can share their experience of the disease or treatment.
GRAPHICS Y Nymphs of Rokitansky They are two of the main associations for this purpose. Provides information to young people and adults with this and other diseases and have informative material on the subject.
Finally, note that in the vast majority of cases, according to Dr. Patricia Montull, the patients relive emotionally and psychologically after the operation . They return to have desire to live and in many cases, they do not even require later psychological attention.
Interview with a girl with Rokitansky Syndrome
In Psychology and Mind and thanks to our collaborator Sheila Robles, we have been able to interview a person affected with this syndrome. We invite you to meet her in:
"Interview with Lia, a woman with Rokitansky Syndrome"
