Female sexual dysfunction

Abstract

Female sexual dysfunction is a common problem with detrimental effects on woman's quality of life. It also has an economical and societal impact. It is defined as disorders of sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and sexual pain, which lead to personal distress. The etiology of sexual dysfunction is frequently multifactorial as it relates to general physical and mental well-being, quality of relationship, past sexual functioning, social class, education, employment, life stressors, personality factors, the presence of a sexual partner, and partner's age and health. It is very important to adopt the most efficient approach to gather information, and this may be achieved via standardized questionnaires or open-ended questions. Therapy should be tailored according to the patient's needs and may involve a multidisciplinary team approach including psychosexual counselor/sexologist/therapist and the physician. There is still more work needed to optimize the care of women with this problem. Priority should be given to international standardization and training of health care professionals.