Transverse Vaginal Septum | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of transverse vaginal septum?
Common symptoms include:
- the absence of a menstrual cycle, called amenorrhea
- periods that last beyond the normal four to seven day cycle
- abdominal pain from blood collecting in the upper vagina.
What causes transverse vaginal septum?
A transverse vaginal septum forms during embryological development when the tubes that eventually become a vagina don't fuse together properly. The cause of this genetic abnormality is unknown.
Transverse Vaginal Septum | Diagnosis & Treatments
How is a transverse vaginal septum diagnosed?
During an examination, your daughter's gynecologist can confirm that a wall of fibrous tissue is blocking the vagina. Usually, a transverse vaginal septum isn't diagnosed until menstrual problems appear in her teenage years.
How is transverse vaginal septum treated?
A surgical procedure is performed to "resect" or remove the fibrous tissue creating a blockage in your daughter's vagina.
There is a risk of stenosis, or scarring where the surgery took place. This is why the gynecologist may have your daughter use a vaginal dilator for a while to aid the healing process and prevent the vagina from taking on an hour-glass shape.
How we care for a transverse vaginal septum
At the Boston Children's Hospital Division of Gynecology and Center for Congenital Anomalies of the Reproductive Tract, an interdisciplinary team of pediatricians, gynecologists, urogynecologists, and colorectal surgeons will work to find the best treatment for your daughter's transverse vaginal septum.
