Many health authorities have recommended that gynecologists
actively address sexual issues during their consultations. However,
fewer than 50% of doctors raise questions related to sexuality during
discussions about the patient’s medical history. This study focused
on gynecologists’ and patients’ perceptions about introducing the
topic of sexuality during consultations. Twenty-one semistructured
interviews with gynecologists and three focus groups with patients
were conducted in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The findings
highlight a lack of knowledge about sexology in the medical
curricula, as well as important mismatches between patients and
gynecologists concerning the role of the gynecologist and the perception
of intimacy and sexuality. I discuss several ways to overcome
these mismatches.