title: Toward a More Evidence-Based Nosology and Nomenclature for Female Sexual Dysfunctions-Part II.
abstract: Current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) definitions of sexual dysfunction do not identify all sexual problems experienced clinically by women and are not necessarily applicable for biologic or biopsychosocial management of female sexual dysfunction. A unified nomenclature system enables clinicians, researchers, and regulatory agencies to use the same language and criteria for determining clinical end points, assessing research results, and managing patients.
  
  
  
  To develop nomenclature with classification systems for female sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm disorders with definitions pertinent to clinicians and researchers from multiple specialties who contribute to the field of sexual medicine.
  
  
  
  Key national and international opinion leaders diverse in gender, geography, and areas of expertise met for 2 days to discuss and agree to definitions of female sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm disorders and persistent genital arousal disorder. The attendees consisted of 10 psychiatrists and psychologists; 12 health care providers in specialties such as gynecology, internal medicine, and sexual medicine; three basic scientists; and one sexuality educator, representing an array of societies working within the various areas of sexual function and dysfunction.
  
  
  
  A unified set of definitions was developed and accepted for use by the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) and members of other stakeholder societies participating in the consensus meeting.
  
  
  
  Current DSM-5 definitions, in particular elimination of desire and arousal disorders as separate diagnoses and lack of definitions of other specific disorders, were adapted to create ISSWSH consensus nomenclature for distressing sexual dysfunctions. The ISSWSH definitions include hypoactive sexual desire disorder, female genital arousal disorder, persistent genital arousal disorder, female orgasmic disorder, pleasure dissociative orgasm disorder, and female orgasmic illness syndrome.
  
  
  
  Definitions for female sexual dysfunctions that reflect current science provide useful nomenclature for current and future management of women with sexual disorders and development of new therapies.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: shp9079@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Sharon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Parish
authors.affiliation: The Center for Vulvovaginal Disorders, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: San Diego Sexual Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sue W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: Sexual Medicine, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfaus
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Anita H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.affiliation: Sexological Clinic, Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giraldi
authors.affiliation: George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Center for Marital and Sexual Health of South Florida, West Palm Beach, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Stanley E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Althof
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Komisaruk
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Female Sexual Medicine, Academic Urology Center for Pelvic Medicine, Bryn Mawr, PA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Susan Kellogg
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Spadt
authors.affiliation: Departments of Reproductive Biology and Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sheryl A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kingsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Reproductive Medicine and Urology, Weill Cornell Medicine; Human Sexuality Program, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Perelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Marcel D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Waldinger
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Whipple
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido; D009948:Orgasm; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: Female Genital Arousal Disorder; Female Orgasm Disorder; Female Sexual Arousal Disorder; Female Sexual Dysfunction; Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder; Nomenclature; Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder