The obstetrician-gynecologist should understand the concepts of sexual development and identity, as well as the psychology of sexual relations. The practitioner also should understand the ways in which a patient’s sexuality may be altered by physical or psychologic conditions. The obstetrician-gynecologist should be familiar and comfortable with the terminology used in sexual counseling and should understand the range of disorders of sexual function.
1. Describe the stages of the normal sexual response: desire, arousal, orgasm, resolution, and refractory period.
2. Describe the principal disorders of sexual function:
a. Loss of desire
b. Loss of arousal
c. Anorgasmia
d. Vaginismus
e. Dyspareunia
3. Elicit a complete sexual history.
4. Perform a focused physical examination to identify a specific disorder of sexual dysfunction (eg, vaginismus) or determine the cause of sexual dysfunction (eg, dyspareunia, anorgasmia).
5. Describe possible interventions for patients with disorders of sexual function.
a. Counseling
b. Medical therapy
c. Surgery
6. Describe the appropriate long-term follow-up for patients with disorders of sexual function.
