Female
Sexual Health Center
There
is an apparent high prevalence of sexual dysfunction in non-clinical
samples of women (1,2).
It is unclear,
however, whether the percentage of women reporting problems with
desire (33%), orgasm (25%), and lack of satisfaction (22%) reflects
the prevalence of true sexual dysfunctions.
Traditional
Sex Response Cycle of Masters, Johnson and Kaplan
The stages of
sexual response have been described in discrete entities in progression
in a linear fashion--desire, arousal, plateau of high sexual
excitement, and orgasmic release--followed by resolution
with the caveat that women have several patterns of orgasmic release,
multiple, or prolonged.
Recently, this
concept has been revisited and challenged. According to Rosemary Basson
from Vancouver, B.C., the following has been reported in the Journal
of Sexual Dysfunction and Medicine:
The overall
focus is incorrect. Women tend to focus on composite emotional and
physical satisfaction. Their physical satisfaction need not necessarily
include orgasmic release. The women reporting lack of satisfaction
in community surveys included those who were orgasmic. (2, 3,4)
References
1. EO Laumann.
JAMA, 1999; 10: 537-45
2. R Rosen. Journal of Sexual Marital Therapy, 1993; 19:
171-88
3. KM Dunn. Journal of Sexual Marital Therapy, 2000; 26:
141-51
4. I Lunde. Journal of Sex Education Therapy, 1991; 17:
111-5.
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