Functional anatomy of the human vagina.

Anatomy studies normally precede physiology. While the anatomy of the penis and the biochemical and molecular regulation of erection are largely known, the exact anatomical description of the human clitoris was produced in 1998, the taxonomy of female sexual dysfunctions classified in 1999, and biochemistry of female excitation described only in 2002. There are various reasons for this. Female sexual physiology is much more complex than that of the male, and cultural and religious considerations have discouraged the scientific study of female sexuality. However, it is now apparent that modern sexology cannot be truly 'medical' if female sexual anatomy and the physiology of female sexual response are unknown.