Scarlett Rose spent years enduring extreme pain when she tried to have sex or went for vaginal medical exams without knowing the true cause.
The 30-year-old was even told it was all in her mind because doctors couldn’t find the true culprit.
The real problem was that Scarlett had a longiditudal septum, which is an enlarged piece of tissue that split her genitalia down the middle.
This flesh was pushed to the side whenever the mum, from Queensland, Australia, had penetrative sex or any type of vaginal exam.
This is what was causing her agony for all those years.
The councillor said: ‘When I was 18 I became sexually active but I was in excruciating pain.
‘The first time that I tried to do anything I thought I wasn’t ready or that it was supposed to hurt.
‘Once I met my husband he told me that my pain wasn’t normal and I realised there was a problem.
‘It made me feel like less of a woman.
‘I felt like an alien, I didn’t know what was wrong with me.
‘It was incredibly isolating.
‘There was no information about it online and no one that I knew had experienced this.
‘Even when we talked to friends about it, men would tell me I wasn’t good enough and that I needed to figure my problems out as a lack of sex wasn’t fair on my husband.
‘Having sex was incredibly painful. Intercourse isn’t just for pleasure – it’s a way to bond in relationships.
‘My husband was so supportive and understanding and made sure that I was okay.’
When the mum-of-one was 18, she sought medical help, going through three general practitioners and three gynaecologists.
They treated her for infections like thrush, vaginismus and bacterial vaginosis, and put her through laparoscopic surgery, smears and ultrasounds but they still could not find a solution.
Scarlett said: ‘It was really hard. I developed severe anxiety because of it.
‘I was told that it was in my head. I knew that what I was experiencing physical pain and when you are told there is no issue or that people don’t believe you it’s very difficult.
‘I was so embarrassed. I didn’t know anyone who had been through anything like this.
‘It put a huge strain on my relationships – my husband, Jamie, and I still got married and tried for a baby but it was incredibly painful.
‘Doctors told me that delivering a baby may help with the pain as they assumed my pelvic floor was too tight and having a baby can loosen it.’
But this all changed when, at 21 weeks pregnant, she was taken to the hospital for surgery because her cervix was too low and that could induce pre-term labour.
It was during the procedure that doctors finally found out that her vagina had a septum.
They removed it, and Scarlett was told that if they hadn’t discovered the tissue, she may have haemorrhaged during birth, which could have proven deadly for both her and her son.
‘When I found out that I had two vaginas I was relieved’, she said, ‘as it took me years to figure out what was wrong.
‘However, at the time, we were so focused on our baby and making sure he was alright.
‘After I gave birth I had to have a smear test at six weeks post-partum. I was terrified because they were usually incredibly painful but after the surgery, it was completely fine.
‘Now, sex isn’t painful and I can lead a normal life.
‘I wanted to raise awareness because then you can go to appointments with an idea of what is going on and you’re more likely to get help and support.
‘I want people to see my story and know about it so they can advocate for themselves.
‘I also want other women to know they aren’t alone in this.’
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