Transvaginal ultrasonography in gynecologic office practice: assessment in 663 premenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: We describe transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation of 663 premenopausal women with signs or symptoms of gynecologic problems and compare the findings of transvaginal ultrasonography with those of antecedent bimanual examination. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective descriptive study, data on age, menstrual history, results of bimanual examination, and subsequent surgical and pathologic findings were abstracted from the medical record and linked to indications and results on transvaginal ultrasonography reports from May 1991 through October 1993. RESULTS: The result of bimanual examination of the uterus was normal in 125 of 347 women with transvaginal ultrasonography-diagnosed fibroids (36.0%). Findings were normal at bimanual examination of the corresponding adnexa in 134 of the 190 adnexa with transvaginal ultrasonography findings (70.5%). Among the subjects with normal results of bimanual examination of the adnexa, surgical procedures documented 12 endometriomas, 2 adnexal abscesses, and 5 benign and 1 malignant neoplasm. CONCLUSION: Given the apparent considerable limitations of the bimanual examination, the utility of routine in-office transvaginal ultrasonography screening of both women with and women without symptoms should be prospectively investigated.

Bacterial vaginosis in lesbians: a sexually transmitted disease.

Sexual transmission of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common syndrome in sexually active women, has not been previously established. Because no male counterpart for BV has been found, a population of lesbians is an ideal one in which to test the hypothesis that BV is sexually transmitted. We studied 103 homosexual women (lesbians) who sought gynecologic care at a community clinic and in a private gynecology practice in New York City. Participants were asked to refer their sexual partners for evaluation. In this cross-sectional prevalence study, all participants were evaluated for the presence of BV, and pairs of monogamous sexual partners were analyzed for concordance of their vaginal secretions. Twenty-nine (28.7%) of the 101 participants from whom satisfactory vaginal wash samples were available had BV. There were 21 pairs of monogamous partners. Of 11 index women who had BV, eight (72.7%) had partners who also had BV. Of 10 index women who did not have BV, only one (10%) had a partner with BV. The likelihood of a partner's having BV was 19.7 times greater if the index case had BV (P < .008; 95% CI, 2.1-588.0). We conclude that with respect to BV, lesbians in monogamous relationships usually have concordant vaginal secretions. This concordance probably reflects the sexual transmission of BV between lesbians.