Impact of labiaplasty on psychological well-being and quality of life in Chinese women: Findings from a single-center retrospective study

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2025 Apr 18. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.70171. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess preoperative and postoperative psychological and quality of life (QoL) outcomes in patients undergoing labiaplasty for labia minora hypertrophy, providing insights into the psychological impact of the procedure and contributing clinical evidence to inform future treatments and patient care strategies.

METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included 35 Chinese women who underwent labiaplasty and evaluated their outcomes using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) assessments, as well as treatment satisfaction, at three time points: preoperatively, 1 week postoperatively, and 3 months postoperatively. Among the women, 68.6% (24/35) sought surgery due to pain and discomfort experienced during walking or physical activity, 20.0% (7/35) due to discomfort during sexual intercourse, and 42.9% (15/35) due to dissatisfaction or feelings of inferiority related to the appearance or color of their labia minora.

RESULTS: At 3 months postoperatively, the SF-36 total score demonstrated a significant improvement compared with the preoperative period, increasing from 87.13 ± 15.77 to 93.52 ± 4.73 (P < 0.05). The improvement in the mental component summary (MCS) score which assesses psychological well-being was particularly notable, increasing from 82.76 ± 18.47 preoperatively to 91.50 ± 4.96 at 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). Additionally, the HADS-Anxiety score, which measures anxiety, significantly decreased from 6.23 ± 4.49 preoperatively to 2.49 ± 2.44 at 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.001). Similarly, the HADS-Depression score, assessing depression, revealed a reduction from 8.09 ± 4.12 preoperatively to 6.17 ± 2.68 at 3 months postoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Labiaplasty significantly reduces anxiety and depression, contributing to improvements in mental health and overall quality of life.

PMID:40249469 | DOI:10.1002/ijgo.70171