Incidence of Sexual Dysfunction in Healthy Sexually Active Sicilian Women of Fertile Age Spontaneously Attending a Private Gynaecologist for Routine Examination

Summary

Summary

Three hundred and sixty healthy Sicilian women who attended a private gynaecologist between February and July 1987 for a routine annual cervical smear and breast examination completed a semistruclured verbal questionnaire on the frequency of sexual dysfunction. All women had a steady heterosexual relationship with only one partner for more than one year. Two hundred women (55 per cent) complained of sexual dysfunction. The commonest reports were of difficulties in achieving or complete failure to achieve orgasm (55 per cent) and lack of vaginal lubrication or difficulty in penetration (25 per cent). Another complaint was of pain during coitus (12 per cent). Twenty-six per cent of women complained of two or more forms of sexual dysfunction. Three hundred and twenty-four women (90 per cent) favoured sexual behaviour counselling before routine gynaecological examinations.