Frequency of sexual dysfunction in a general gynecological clinic: an epidemiological approach.

Epidemiological data on female sexual functioning are presented. Fifty-nine 30- to 39-year-old Black women attending a gynecology clinic at University Hospitals of Cleveland for nonsexual complants were interviewed to determine the frequency of sexual dysfunction. Seventeen percent had difficulty achieving orgasm in partner sexual behavior. Most of these women had prior history of adequate sexual functioning; 5% had never been orgasmic. Ten of the 49 women who had no orgasmic difficulty were not satisfied with their sexual relationships. The relative risk of sexual dysfunction was 5 times greater in women who had undergone pelvic surgery.