Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause

Shanice Cox; Ryan Nasseri; Rachel S Rubin; Yahir Santiago-Lastra

doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2022.10.017

Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause

Med Clin North Am. 2023 Mar;107(2):357-369. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2022.10.017.

Authors

Shanice Cox¹, Ryan Nasseri², Rachel S Rubin³, Yahir Santiago-Lastra⁴

Affiliations

¹ Texas Christian University School of Medicine.
² UC San Diego Health.
³ Georgetown University.
⁴ UC San Diego Health. Electronic address: ysantiagolastra@health.ucsd.edu.

PMID: 36759102
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2022.10.017

Abstract

Introduced in 2014, genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) describes a variety of unpleasant genital, sexual and urinary symptoms that can either be isolated or coexisting and are not related to other medical conditions. GSM is a chronic and progressive condition that requires early recognition and appropriate management to preserve urogenital health. Despite the importance of early detection and treatment, the condition is consistently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Herein, we emphasize how to diagnose GSM in postmenopausal, hypoestrogenic, and hypoandrogenic women and summarize evidence-based treatments focusing on prescription treatments and adjunctive therapies.

Keywords: Atrophic vaginitis; Genitourinary syndrome of menopause; Menopause; Urinary urgency; Vulvovaginal atrophy; Women’s sexual health.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atrophy / pathology
Female
Female Urogenital Diseases* / diagnosis
Female Urogenital Diseases* / therapy
Humans
Menopause
Syndrome
Vagina* / pathology
Vulva / pathology