Female Sexual Dysfunction
(FSD)
Susan R Davis
Chair of Women’s Health
Women’s Health Research Program
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
WHO Definition
• Sexuality is experienced and expressed in
thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs,
attitudes, values, behaviors, practices,
roles and relationships.
• While sexuality can include all of these
dimensions, not all of them are always
experienced or expressed.
Sexual health is a state of physical,
emotional, mental and social well-being
related to sexuality;
it is not merely the absence of disease,
dysfunction or infirmity
FSD is associated with significant decreases
in health-related quality of life
 Large negative effects on mental health, vitality, social function
 Affected women are more likely to be
 depressed,
 dissatisfied with their home life,
 dissatisfied with emotional and physical relationship with
their sexual partner.
 The overall effect of HSDD on quality of life is similar in
magnitude to that of diabetes and back pain.
Biddle et al 2009
CLASSIFICATION OF
Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD)
DSM-V released 2013
•
•
•
•
Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder
Orgasmic disorder
Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder
Persistent arousal disorder
The definition of FSD is evolving
•
Agreement on main issues being:
Desire; arousal; orgasm; sexual pain with
personal distress being a criterion for
dysfunction
Need to consider other conditions:
• Dyspareunia
• Secondary to medical or psychiatric illness,
medication/substance induced.
• Persistent sexual arousal disorder in women
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