Abstract: Vaginal laxity syndrome (VLS) is a common and frequently-occurring disease in gynecology, which can lead to decreased sexual satisfaction and/or sexual dysfunction and often combines with stress urinary incontinence and female genital tract inflammation and other diseases, severely affecting physical and mental health of women. However, its etiology and pathogenesis have not been disclosed. At present, studies found that factors like pregnancy, delivery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, constipation, obesity, long-term weight bearing, abnormal anatomical structure, physiological aging, iatrogenic injury, genetic and organ system dysfunction based on traditional Chinese medicine theories can cause the damage of vagina and its supporting tissues that sustain vagina′s four-dimensional anatomical structure. They can also cause blood supply disorders, abnormal innervation and organ tissue remodeling, resulting in a decline on physiological functions such as vaginal contraction, self-purification, inducing VLS development. This paper reviews the etiological progress of VLS, so as to reveal the mechanism and characteristics of VLS more comprehensively and accurately, and better guide the further clinical research and treatment.

Key words: Vaginal diseases；, Pregnancy；, Parturition；, Pelvic floor；, Vaginal laxity syndrome