The Prevalence of Phimosis of the Clitoris in Women Presenting to the Sexual Dysfunction Clinic: Lack of Correlation to Disorders of Desire, Arousal and Orgasm

Abstract

Physical examination of the genitalia was performed during an evaluation of women with sexual health problems. Cephalad displacement of the right and left labia minora enables full retraction of the clitoral prepuce and complete exposure of the glans clitoris, under normal circumstances. We defined clitoral examination as abnormal when the cephalad force resulted in varying degrees of incomplete foreskin retraction and limited exposure of the glans clitoris. The pathophysiology is likely to be secondary to recurrent vulvar dermal infections of blunt trauma changing prepucial elasticity. Clitoral phimosis, a previously undiagnosed physical finding, was identified in 22% of the women. Other than its link to sexual pain, the clinical significance of this finding, in particular the relation to diminished sensitivity and impaired orgasmic capability, is unclear at this time.