title: Summary of the recommendations on sexual dysfunctions in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women's sexual dysfunctions include persistent or recurrent disorders of sexual interest/desire, disorders of subjective and genital arousal, orgasm disorder, pain and difficulty with attempted or completed intercourse. There are limited recommendation/guideline documents pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of women's sexual dysfunctions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide recommendations/guidelines concerning state-of-the-art knowledge for the clinical management of women's sexual dysfunctions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An International Consultation in collaboration with the major sexual medicine associations assembled over 200 multidisciplinary experts from 60 countries into 17 committees. Committee members established specific objectives and scopes for various sexual medicine topics. The recommendations concerning state-of-the-art knowledge in the respective sexual medicine topic represent the opinion of experts from five continents developed in a process over a 2-year period. Ten experts from four countries compiled the Recommendations on Sexual Dysfunctions in Women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expert opinion was based on grading of evidence-based medical literature, widespread internal committee discussion, public presentation and debate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recommendations and guidelines concerning the various sexual dysfunctions were updated. A comprehensive assessment of medical, sexual and psychosocial history is recommended for diagnosis and management planning. Indications for general and focused pelvic genital examination and laboratory testing are included. Recently revised definitions for sexual desire/interest disorder, arousal disorders (genital, subjective, combined and persistent), orgasm disorder, dyspareunia and vaginismus are presented. An evidence-based approach to management is provided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need for more research and scientific reporting, re-assessment, and management of women's sexual dysfunction including long-term outcome studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. sexmed@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Basson
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Althof
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fugl-Meyer
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leiblum
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meston
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Gorm
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D032921:Consensus; D019091:Critical Pathways; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016387:Women's Health