Digital Interventions for Female Sexual Pain Disorders: A Systematic Review with Evidence Mapping and Limited Quantitative Synthesis

Digital interventions for female sexual pain disorders, including genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (GPPPD)/vaginismus and vulvodynia/vestibulodynia, may help address persistent barriers to specialist care. In this systematic review with evidence mapping and limited quantitative synthesis, we synthesized evidence on clinical efficacy and engagement across digital formats, including guided internet-based programs, app-based interventions, and digital therapeutics. Fifty-one studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and three contributed to a limited quantitative synthesis. The most directly relevant trials suggested improvements in penetration-related outcomes, sexual function, pain-related outcomes, or both, while guided formats showed stronger engagement. Overall, digital care appears promising, but the literature remains methodologically heterogeneous, and the strongest direct evidence is concentrated in a relatively small subset of diagnosis-specific trials.