For women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), sex can be a challenge. PVD causes discomfort in the vestibule - where the vagina and vulva meet - whenever the area is touched.  

In spite of the pain, some women still continue to be intimate with their partners.  Recently, Canadian scientists studied the role of sexual goals for couples coping with PVD. They investigated "approach" goals, which focus on positive outcomes, and "avoidance" goals, which focus on avoiding negative outcomes.

Women with approach goals tended to fare better than those with avoidance goals.  Click here to learn more about these goals, the study findings, and what they could mean for women with PVD.