THE PROBLEM OF SEXUAL FUNCTION AND OF SEX UAL DISTURBANCES AFTER HYSTERECTOMY

Hysterectomy leads to a temporary impairment of sexual behaviour. Disc ussions during pre-operative consultancy and at the time of discharge and follow-up examinations dealing with the sexual function, can in ge neral avoid lasting or chronic sexual disturbances. The incidence of p sychosomatic disturbances, which also influence sexual behaviour, is f ound to be under 10% and are projected onto the operation, have theref ore intra-psychic or psycho-social roots, which are independent of it. As a rule, the ability to experience orgasm is retained and, in many cases, improved; although there are exceptions to the rule. A certain method of hysterectomy cannot have any decisive significance with rega rd to the capacity to experience sexual pleasure. This is indicated by our knowledge of the physiology of the sexual response and by the fol low-up investigations concerning the sexual function after a hysterect omy conducted to date. An all-too-local/genital approach deflects us f rom our understanding of the orgasm, as the latter is a central experi ence in which extra-genital and, above all, psychological factors also play an important part.