Study finds improved quality of life after gender-affirming vaginoplasties

Gender-affirming vaginoplasty is a common genital gender-affirming surgery sought by transfeminine people.

A research team at University of Michigan Health led by Caleb Haley, M.D., an Integrated Plastic Surgery Resident at U-M Health and Fellow in the National Clinician Scholars Program, used data from U-M Health between September 2018 and February 2023 to gain a better understanding of the experiences of people who undergo this procedure.

The study, published in the Annals of Surgery, had inclusion criteria that required individuals to be aged 18 years of age or older, English-speaking, and meeting World Professional Association for Transgender Health, also known as WPATH, standards of care surgical criteria.

Researchers gathered responses from 48 participants and used several instruments to measure their physical and psychosocial well being.

These included measures for depression, anxiety, body image, genital satisfaction, psychosocial functioning, pain, and sexual functioning.

Questionnaires were answered by participants preoperatively, three months postoperatively, and 12 months postoperatively.

Following gender-affirming vaginoplasty, transfeminine individuals reported significant improvements regarding their physical and mental health, body image, and psychosocial functioning.

While minor complications following this procedure were common, they did not negatively impact patients’ subjective outcomes.

Overall, this study shows gender-affirming vaginoplasty is associated with significant quality of life improvements, highlighting the importance of ensuring access to this procedure for transfeminine people.

Additional authors: Cole V. Roblee, M.D., from the Department of Surgery, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Gaines Blasdel, B.S., from the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Jennifer B. Hamill, M.P.H., Shelby Svientek, M.D., Lauren Marquette, M.D., Jessica J. Hsu, M.D., Ph.D., Edwin G. Wilkins, M.D., M.S., Megan Lane, M.D., M.S., and William M. Kuzon, M.D., Ph.D., from the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Peter Mankowski, M.D., from the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Pasithorn A. Suwanabol, M.D., M.S., from the Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Shane D. Morrison, M.D., M.S., from the Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

Paper cited: “Gender-Affirming Vaginoplasty Improves Quality of Life in Transfeminine Individuals,” Annals of Surgery. DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006988