Open AccessPatients With Vaginal Discharge In General Practice
Author(s) -
Bro Flemming
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348909087687
Subject(s) - medicine , vaginal discharge , general practice , obstetrics , intensive care medicine , gynecology , family medicine
In a multi‐practice study, 80 general practitioners registered 327 patients with spontaneous complaints of vaginal discharge. Forty‐eight percent of the patients were between 20 and 29 years of age, compared with 20% in the general female population (p < 0.001). An increase in discharge was reported by 89% of the women, itching by 53%, and malodour by 38%. More than one symptom was reported by 61%. The symptoms present were mutually independent and no correlation was found with age. Seventy‐six percent of women 25 years or older had had earlier instances of vaginal discharge. In patients aged 15–19, 60% had experienced earlier episodes. Male consort symptoms were reported by 14% of patients less than 25 years old and by 7% of the patients 25 years or older (p<0.05). Symptoms had persisted for one week or less in 36% of the women, for between 1 and 2 weeks in 27%, and for more than one year in 5%.