Painful Intercourse
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI

Reviewed By:

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care)

Current Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow with Dual board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Critical Care Medicine. | 5+ years experience managing a general Ob/Gyn practice and working in the Intensive Care Unit. | Previously Physician Lead of a large single specialty practice with 8 Physicians and 10+ Advanced practitioners. | Member of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Patient education committee. | Frequent Medscape Consult contributor.

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))

Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Content updated on Mar 7, 2024

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With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.

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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • Vagina feels like burning during sex (painful sex)

  • Have pain when having sexual intercourse

  • Painful penetration sex (painful sex)

  • Pain during sexual intercourse

  • Have pain during intercourse

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About the Symptom

Pain with vaginal intercourse. Refers to female genital pain related to sexual activity.

When to see a doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

  • Pain during sex

Possible Causes

Generally, Painful intercourse can be related to:

  • Uterine cancer

    Cancer of the uterus (womb). The vast majority of women develop post-menopausal bleeding as their first symptom of uterine cancer. Risk factors include age with most cases appearing after menopause, a history of estrogen-only hormone treatment, and obesity. Diagnosis is after pelvic exam, ultrasound, biopsy and other scans to determine whether the cancer has spread.

  • Endometriosis

    A condition where endometrial cells (cells that line the womb) grow outside the uterus, typically near the ovaries or fallopian tubes. It is a common cause of pelvic pain, that can worsen with menstruation. The exact cause is unclear but there are several possible explanations, including the backward flow of menstrual blood into the abdominal cavity, immune system disorders, or transformation of normal abdominal cells. It is typically seen in reproductive aged women, and most often diagnosed in their 30's and 40's. It can cause infertility in some patients due to scarring of the fallopian tubes.

  • Genital herpes

    This is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). It causes small, painful blisters on the private parts.

  • Cesarean scar syndrome
  • Descent of uterus / uterine prolapse
  • Candida vulvovaginitis
  • Bartholin's gland cyst
  • Trichomoniasis

Related serious diseases

Sometimes, Painful intercourse may be related to these serious diseases:

  • Sexual trauma

    Genital trauma meaning injury to the genitals, can occur for a variety of reasons. Most often caused by sports injuries, accidents such as on a bicycle, or vigorous intercourse. Tears or injuries can also occur with childbirth. Sexual assault should also be considered.

  • Ovarian hemorrhage

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

  • Do you feel pain during sexual intercourse?

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Find Similar Symptoms

Symptoms from similar body parts

References

  • Am Fam Physician. 2011;84(6):705-709

    https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2011/0915/p705.html

  • Dyspareunia in Women, Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(7):465-470

    https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2014/1001/p465.html

  • Tayyeb M, Gupta V. Dyspareunia. [Updated 2023 Jun 5]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562159/

  • Female Sexual Dysfunction ACOG Practice Bulletin Clinical Management Guidelines for Obstetrician–Gynecologists, Number 213

    https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/fulltext/2019/07000/female_sexual_dysfunction__acog_practice_bulletin.45.aspx

Reviewed By:

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care)

Current Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow with Dual board certification in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Critical Care Medicine. | 5+ years experience managing a general Ob/Gyn practice and working in the Intensive Care Unit. | Previously Physician Lead of a large single specialty practice with 8 Physicians and 10+ Advanced practitioners. | Member of the Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine Patient education committee. | Frequent Medscape Consult contributor.

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD

Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN))

Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.

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