FRIDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Many U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists fail to ask patients sufficiency questions about their sex lives, which means they could lack information that provides discerning look into their patients' overall soundness, according to a new study.

The national survey of ob-gyns found that well-nigh two-thirds of them routinely ask patients about their sexual activity. However, excepting that 40 percent routinely ask questions to assess a resigned's sexual problems or dysfunction; merely 29 percent routinely ask patients in various places satisfaction with their sex lives, and alone 28 percent consistently confirm a submissive's sexual orientation.

There's a well-established copula between sexual function and overall hale condition, and these findings point to the need for stronger guidelines for doctors adhering gathering a thorough sexual history from patients, the University of Chicago researchers related.

"As a practicing ob-gyn, people of my patients say I'm the rudimentary physician to talk with them well-nigh sexual issues," lead author Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau, one associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, reported in a University of Chicago Medical Center recent accounts release.

"Sexuality is a solution component of a woman's natural and psychological health. Obviously, ob-gyns are well positioned amid all physicians to address female sexual concerns. Simply asking a able to endure if she's sexually valid does not tell us whether she has dexterous sexual function or changes in her sexual exercise that could indicate underlying problems," she explained.

About undivided-third of young and middle-period women and about half of older women experience some sort of sexual problem, of the like kind as low desire, pain during commerce or lack of pleasure, according to late studies. These problems can lead to strained relationships and feelings of worry, dishonor, guilt and isolation.

If a teacher doesn't ask women hind part before their sex lives, patients often assume the means of access is closed to that topic.

"Many women are want in silence," Lindau said. "Patients are ~times reluctant to bring up sexual difficulties because of fear the physician will have ~ing embarrassed or will dismiss their concerns. Doctors should have ~ing taking the lead. Sexual history anger is a fundamental part of gynecologic care. Understanding a long-suffering's sexual function rounds exhausted the picture of her overall health and can reveal underlying issues that may differently be overlooked."

The study was published March 22 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has else about sexual health.

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