Intra Vaginal Foreign Bodies: An Uncommon Cause of Vaginitis

Abstract

Though vaginal discharge is a common presentation to the health care facilities, intra vaginal foreign bodies are least considered as a differential diagnosis in the initial stage of the assessment. Diagnosis remains as a mystery unless the patient provides a reliable history. If not, thorough examination and appropriate investigations are the only pathways to come to the final diagnosis. We report on two different patients, a 62 year old postmenopausal woman and a 42 year old pregnant woman, both who underwent foreign body removal from their vaginal canal. They presented with vaginal discharge, but both of them either did not disclose or intentionally withheld the information of how these foreign bodies ended up in the vaginal canal. A case of intra-vaginal foreign body in a postmenopausal woman is reported here to highlight the possible diagnostic dilemma it can cause, especially with genital tract malignancy. The foreign body in a pregnant woman could raise several possibilities such as myths and self-practice of harmful methods of contraception or prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women. The non-recommended contraceptive methods should be addressed in future contraceptive health education to public A mother in her latter part of pregnancy may present with symptoms mimicking early labour due to foreign body. Basic vaginal examination, removal of foreign body and antibiotic treatment solved the symptoms completely without any further complications.