IT

Classification, etiology, and key issues in female sexual disorders

17/03/2008

Classification, etiology, and key issues in female sexual disorders
in: Porst H. Buvat J. (Eds), ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine) Standard Committee Book, Standard practice in Sexual Medicine, Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 2006, p. 305-314
Women’s sexuality is multifactorial, rooted in biological, psychosexual and context-related factors. The latter include couple dynamics, family and sociocultural issues and developmental factors. Sexuality is also multisystemic. In men and women, a physiologic response requires the integrity of the hormonal, vascular, nervous, muscular, connective and immune systems: a fact too often overlooked in women, until recently.
This chapter summarizes the leading characteristics of women’s sexuality, to give a comprehensive view of the key factors in sexual health. The most updated classification is presented, with a focus on descriptors essential to qualify the disorders with a few questions. Two concise paragraphs on ethical, legal and moral issues and on optimal referral are presented.

Available documents:Full text of the chapter