Female Sexual Dysfunction: Is It a Treatable Disease?

Female sexual dysfunction affects approximately 40% of women (Sexual problems and distress in United States women: prevalence and correlates; Shifren et al., Obstet Gynecol, 112(5): 970-978, 2008). Due to its multi-factorial etiology, a wide variety of treatments are available that address specific symptoms, but no treatment exists that treats the overall disorder. Significant strides have recently been made in an effort to treat the plethora of symptoms associated with this disorder. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of recent research on the available treatments for female sexual dysfunction. We discuss novel agents such as flibanserin, as well as various mechanical devices and hormonal treatments aimed at the specific subtypes of female sexual dysfunction.