Information for healthcare professionals

There are three main types of congenital abnormalities of the genital tract that are seen at the National Centre for Adolescent and Adult Females with Congenital Abnormalities of the Genital Tract:

Congenital absence of the vagina and associated gynaecological structures
These patients present with primary amenorrhoea, i.e. absence of periods, at about 15 to 16 years of age.

Gynaecological outflow tract obstruction
These patients present between 12 to 14 years of age with:
• Primary amenorrhoea - cyclical abdominal pain, with or without pelvic mass
• Occluded hemi-vagina - cyclical abdominal pain, with or without pelvic mass

Virilisation of the female genitalia
Adolescent females with abnormal genital anatomy requiring surgical reconstruction, e.g. congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and XY females (androgen insensitivity syndrome, gonadal dysgenesis/Swyer's syndrome).

Other referrals
Our services are also available for patients with other vaginal problems that require surgery or dilator therapy, such as post-delivery dyspareunia and post-radiotherapy or post-hysterectomy vaginal difficulty.

Funding criteria
We are directly funded by the government as a national centre for females with congenital abnormalities for all patients residing in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. For these patients, referrals to our centre do not require PCT funding. This is to ensure that these patients are appropriately referred to us for the correct treatment and benefit from our expertise and resources. 

Patients from Wales and Republic of Ireland will be seen and treated as tertiary referrals. 

You can find more general information in the gynaecology section of services at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital.