PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF VAGINAL VASOCONGESTION

This paper reviews reliability, specificity, and practical applicabili ty of the two most promising and widely used methods for measuring blo od flow within the vagina: the oxygenation-temperature method and vagi nal photoplethysmography. It was concluded that the oxygenation-temper ature method and vaginal pulse amplitude as measured by the photopleth ysmograph are both specific indicators of physiological sexual arousal . Although vaginal pulse amplitude seems to be the method of choice fo r measuring vaginal vasocongestion up to orgasm, and the oxygenation-t emperature method for measuring orgasm, these measures should not be u sed in isolation. It is argued that women's sexual function should be evaluated using vaginal vasocongestion measures in conjunction with su bjective indices. Finally, the field is in need of studies comparing p hysiological and subjective sexual responses in clinical and non-clini cal groups.