Pain During Intercourse

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Medical Author:

John G McManus Jr, MD

Coauthor:

Richard D Warren, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• Pain During Intercourse Overview
• Pain During Intercourse Causes
• Pain During Intercourse Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Pain During Intercourse Diagnosis
• Pain During Intercourse Treatment
• Pain During Intercourse Self-Care at Home
• Pain During Intercourse Medical Treatment
• Pain During Intercourse Follow-up
• Pain During Intercourse Prevention
• Pain During Intercourse Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia) is pain or discomfort in a woman's labial, vaginal, or pelvic areas during or after sexual intercourse. The word dyspareunia comes from early Greek language, and its meanings include "difficulty mating" or "badly mated." Pain during intercourse is described in medical literature dating back to the ancient Egyptian scrolls. Early Hebrews regarded this condition as sufficient cause for divorce. Today, most causes of dyspareunia may be easily discovered and treated.

The number of women who experience pain during intercourse is unknown because the symptoms vary. Also, both doctors and women fail to freely discuss sexual practices.

Recent studies suggest that more than 60% of women report current or previous episodes of pain during sexual relations. Fewer than half of these women discussed this pain with their doctors.

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