Terms and Conditions

Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy, govern our relationship with you regarding this website. The website contains medical information about the female lower genital tract and includes graphic photographs and diagrams. If you disagree with any part of the terms and conditions, or you find the content in any way offensive, please do not use our website.

Ownership: The website is owned by the authors and the non-profit Our Bodies Ourselves.

Consumer content: Vulvovaginal Disorders – a pathway for diagnosis and treatment is a web-based training program designed to instruct new learners (medical residents, advanced practice nursing and physician assistant students, physical therapy and sex therapy students and others) in the basics of evaluation of women with vulvovaginal complaints. It is also intended for experienced clinicians who want to broaden their knowledge base and expand their skills, and for anyone who wants to learn about these problems.

The content of the website is based on the best medical evidence available at the time of writing and the collective clinical experience of the authors. The data in the website, including texts, images, and graphics are for informational purposes only and should not substitute for the professional advice of a qualified medical practitioner.

Medical disclaimer: If you are a patient looking for answers for symptoms, please consult with your health care provider.

Disclaimer of warranties: This website content is similar to that of a textbook. Just as a textbook is utilized to gain knowledge and obtain the opinions of the authors, the website can be expected to do the same. As we frequently update the content, it is subject to change without notice. Medical knowledge is constantly in flux, rendering the subject matter at risk of being outdated. The content of the website, therefore, is presented “as is,” without any warranty or condition of any kind. Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee (to the full extent of the law) as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. We cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of any diagnoses derived from the content, any mishap related to a treatment, or any consequence related to decisions made based on the content. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

Indemnification: You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the authors and owners of this website from all liabilities, claims, and expenses, including lawyers’ fees that may come about from your use of the website.

Links to third party sites: This website includes links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).

Copyright: This website and its contents are protected by intellectual property rights, including, as applicable and without limitation, copyrights, trademarks, patents, and other proprietary and intellectual property rights. All rights reserved.

You may not, except with our express written permission, copy, distribute, or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system. Unauthorized use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offense.

Lawful use: As a condition of your use of the website, you warrant to the authors that you will not violate any applicable laws or regulations. You will not use the website itself or any of its contents for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these terms, conditions, and notices. You may not use the website in any manner which could damage, disable, overburden, or impair its functionality or availability to others. You will not harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including e-mail addresses, without their consent.

You will not publish, post, upload, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful topic, name, material or information.

Allowed uses: You may use the content for your own edification as a private user.

Institutions must make written arrangements with the authors if they would like to use the content as part of any curriculum.

Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited and no content may be copied or used in any way without permission of the authors, except the copies of the Patient Questionnaires and the Patient Handouts, which may be printed to be given to individual patients.

Functionality of the website: Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, the authors take no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.

Access restriction: The authors reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to terminate your access to the website and the related services or any portion thereof at any time, without notice.

Changes to the Terms of Use: Terms of use may be modified from time to time and any changes will be effective as soon as they are posted. You agree to be bound by these changes, when they occur, and stay abreast of them through regular review of the Terms of Use.