{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,28]],"date-time":"2026-08-28T22:29:03Z","timestamp":1787956143405,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,9]],"date-time":"2023-07-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1688860800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BJOG"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,2]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>Characterise VLS and obstetric considerations among women during pregnancy, parturition and postpartum.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design<\/jats:title><jats:p>Retrospective cross\u2010sectional online survey, 2022.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Setting<\/jats:title><jats:p>International, English\u2010speakers.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Population<\/jats:title><jats:p>Self\u2010identified individuals aged 18\u201350 diagnosed with VLS with symptom onset prior to pregnancy.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Participants recruited from social media support groups and accounts, completed a 47\u2010question survey including yes\/no, multiple answer, and free\u2010text responses. Data were analysed with frequency, means and the Chi\u2010square test.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Main outcome measures<\/jats:title><jats:p>VLS symptom severity, mode of delivery, perineal laceration, source and sufficiency of information provided about VLS and obstetrics, anxiety about delivery, and postpartum depression.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Of 204 responses, 134 met inclusion criteria, encompassing 206 pregnancies. Mean respondent age was 35\u2009years (SD 6) and mean age of VLS symptom onset, diagnosis and birth, was 22 (SD 8), 29 (SD 7) and 31 (SD 4) years, respectively. Symptoms decreased in 44% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200991) of pregnancies and increased during the postpartum period in 60% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009123). In all, 67% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009137) of pregnancies resulted in vaginal birth and 33% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200969) in caesarean birth. Anxiety for delivery due to VLS symptoms was reported by 50% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009103); 31% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200963) experienced postpartum depression. Of respondents previously diagnosed with VLS, 60% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200969) used topical steroids prior to pregnancy, 40% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200945) were treated during pregnancy and 65% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200975) postpartum. In all, 94% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009116) reported receiving an insufficient amount of information on the topic.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>In this online survey, we found reported symptom severity remained unchanged or decreased during pregnancy, but increased postpartum. Use of topical corticosteroids decreased during pregnancy compared with before and after pregnancy. Half of the respondents reported anxiety regarding VLS and delivery.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/1471-0528.17601","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,10]],"date-time":"2023-07-10T05:54:52Z","timestamp":1688968492000},"page":"327-333","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Pregnancy, parturition and postpartum considerations among patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus: A retrospective cross\u2010sectional online survey"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"131","author":[{"given":"Alyssa B.","family":"Shaffer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences  Washington DC USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah T.","family":"Cigna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology The George Washington 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