245. Changing Women's Healthcare From Inside Medicine

Changing Women’s Healthcare From Inside Medicine

Dr. Sarah Cigna (She/Her) is an Assistant Professor of

Obstetrics & Gynecology with The George Washington University. She is the current Director of the SAGA (Sexual Health and Gender Affirmation) Center and Director of the first Sexual Medicine Fellowship in the country for OBGYN physicians.

She is active in the International Society for the Study of

Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH); she has served on the education committee for several years and will be taking over as the Education Chair this year. She is a Fellow of ISSWSH and runs a busy sexual medicine outpatient service, teaching medical students, residents, fellow clinicians and patients the wonders of sex medicine! She still enjoys birth work (delivering babies), and benign GYN surgery. She hopes to model the role of sexual medicine specialist in an academic setting for aspiring sex detectives.

 Dr. Sarah Cigna, an expert in sexual medicine, discusses the

importance of sexual health education, challenges in talking about sexual health, the need for comprehensive vulvar examinations, improving access to sexual medicine education, expanding sexual medicine fellowships, addressing side effects of birth control, individualized contraceptive options, improving pain control for IUD placement, and the misconception of testosterone as the desire hormone. The conversation explores the complexity of hormones and desire, emphasizing that there isn't just one hormone responsible for desire and that they all play together. The importance of individualized treatment and its impact on quality of life is discussed, highlighting the life-changing nature of sexual medicine. The significance of referrals and second opinions is emphasized, encouraging healthcare providers to seek help from specialists and patients to seek multiple perspectives. The need for expanding sexual medicine fellowships is addressed, calling for advanced learning opportunities for all healthcare professionals.

Takeaways

Sexual health education is crucial for healthcare providers to

better serve their patients.

Comprehensive vulvar examinations are essential for diagnosing and treating sexual health issues.

Expanding sexual medicine fellowships can help train more

clinicians in this specialized field.

Individualized contraceptive options should be offered to patients

based on their specific needs and preferences.

Improving pain control options for IUD placement can make the

procedure more comfortable for patients.

Testosterone is not the sole hormone responsible for desire, and

other factors, such as estrogen, play a significant role. Hormones and desire are complex, and there isn't just one hormone responsible for desire.

Individualized treatment in sexual medicine can greatly improve

quality of life.

Referrals and second opinions are important in sexual medicine to

ensure patients receive the best care.

Expanding sexual medicine fellowships is crucial for advancing the

field and providing evidence-based care.

IG @drsarahcigna @gwsagacenter

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