Female Sexual Dysfunction

Female sexual dysfunction encompasses various conditions that are characterized by reported personal distress in one or more of the following areas: desire, arousal, orgasm, or pain (1). Although female sexual dysfunction is relatively prevalent, women are unlikely to discuss it with their health care providers unless asked (2), and many health care providers are uncomfortable asking for a variety of reasons, including a lack of adequate knowledge and training in diagnosis and management, inadequate clinical time to address the issue, and an underestimation of the prevalence (2). The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of female sexual dysfunction, to outline updated criteria for diagnosis, and to discuss currently recommended management strategies based on the best available evidence.