The Vagina Dialogues: Breaking Taboos with Biomechanics

with Raffaella De Vita, Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering

October 1, 2024 – 2:00 PM – 310 Kelly Hall

The vagina is a complex fibromuscular organ undergoing astonishing transformations during critical physiological functions such as conception, pregnancy, and delivery. The remodeling and deformations of this organ have yet to be characterized despite their impact on women’s health. This talk delves into the ongoing research in the STRETCH lab at Virginia Tech, combining advanced experimental, theoretical, and computational methods to unravel the unique mechanics and complex microstructure of the vagina. The highly inhomogeneous deformations of the vagina in both the relaxed and contracted states have been experimentally characterized using digital imaging correlation and biaxial tensile testing methods. Large initial deformations, followed by smaller deformations under sustained load, reveal the inherent viscoelasticity of vaginal tissue. Even in the presence of tears, the vagina exhibits significant deformations, with collagen fibers reorienting to prevent tear propagation. Higher contractions occur in the longitudinal direction, closer to the cervix, due to the smooth muscle fiber organization. Advanced MRI technology has enabled in vivo measurements of the overall increase in size of the vagina during pregnancy. To complement experimental efforts, data-driven reduced-order models of vaginal deformations have been developed, balancing accuracy with computational speed. Future research will explore how mechanical and microstructural properties of the vagina change in pathological conditions such as sexual dysfunction, maternal trauma, and pelvic organ prolapse. This work will lead to improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches while also opening conversations and breaking taboos in the field of women's reproductive health.

Raffaella De Vita is a professor and associate department head in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. She earned her Laurea in Mathematics from the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy, in 2000 and her M.S. and Ph.D. from University of Pittsburgh in 2003 and 2005, respectively. She is the recipient of the American Society of Biomechanics President’s Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the PECASE Award, and several awards for research, teaching, and outreach excellence at Virginia Tech. She is a fellow of the ASME and AIMBE. Her research focuses on determining the relationship between the mechanical behavior and the complex structure of biological systems using theoretical, computational, and experimental methods.