Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Chronic genital pain in women is highly prevalent, yet poorly understood. There is a great deal of overlap in the pain characteristics of two common forms of genital pain: vaginismus and provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), leading to great difficulty differentiating between these two conditions. Recent research has suggested, however, that physical and behavioral factors may help discriminate between vaginismus and PVD. My proposed research project will utilize different forms of imaging technology to determine whether genital blood flow (through laser Doppler imaging; LDI) and pelvic floor muscle structure (through structural magnetic resonance imaging; MRI) differentiate between women with vaginismus and PVD. Psychosocial factors will also be assessed. Three groups of twenty-five women will be recruited (based on previously established diagnostic criteria): women with vaginismus, women with PVD, and women who have never had chronic genital pain. Participants will undergo a structured interview, completion of questionnaires, as well as imaging through LDI and MRI technology. Differences between the groups with regards to genital blood flow, pelvic floor muscle tension and psychosocial factors (e.g., avoidance, fear) will be investigated. This research is of paramount importance in the investigation of the etiology of PVD and vaginismus, as it will provide crucial information concerning the mechanisms that underlie the pain experienced by women with these conditions. Additionally, if changes in blood flow are found, the effectiveness of treatments targeting this factor can be empirically tested.