Women in Montenegro report lack of help for sexual dysfunctions — Balkan Insight
In Montenegro, women experiencing sexual dysfunctions and pain during intercourse often do not seek medical help or do not receive appropriate treatment due to a lack of specialized professionals and services in the public healthcare system. This is reported by Balkan Insight, citing an anonymous online survey by the Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro.
The survey involved 90 women who reported various problems. In particular, 32 respondents said they had experienced pain during intercourse, 51 reported a lack of sexual desire, and 24 reported vaginal dryness. Almost as many participants as those who reported pain said they had difficulties achieving orgasm. About 50 women sought help, but only 10 said their problem had been fully resolved.
Lack of data and specialized care
The Institute of Public Health of Montenegro does not collect statistics on patients with sexual dysfunctions. The Clinical Center of Montenegro said that women rarely visit doctors with such complaints. Nearly a quarter of survey participants were embarrassed to talk about their problems, while more than a dozen did not know whom to contact.
Aleksandra Vuksanovic Bozaric, a gynecologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Podgorica, said that patients should receive proper diagnostics and, if necessary, state-funded referrals to a gynecologist, a physiotherapist specializing in the pelvic floor, a psychologist, a psychotherapist, a urologist, or other specialists. According to her, the causes of pain may be gynecological, hormonal, infectious, urological, neurological, musculoskeletal, or psychological, so treatment should be individualized and multidisciplinary when necessary.
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Therapies are mostly unavailable
The Chamber of Physiotherapists of Montenegro said that pelvic floor physiotherapy, which is used, among other things, for painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, postpartum rehabilitation, and menopausal symptoms, is currently virtually unavailable in the public system. The first training course in this field was held only this year.
Psychotherapist Adriana Pejakovic also said that there is a complete absence of sexologists in the country — psychotherapists who work with the psychological aspects of sexual problems. According to her, Montenegro has no specialized training in sexology, nor are there corresponding services in public healthcare.
About 20 survey participants linked their problems to age-related hormonal changes. Gynecologist-endocrinologist Marija Djurovic said that only two gynecologists in the country have expertise in endocrinology and can provide consultations on hormone therapy. More than a dozen respondents also said that sexual dysfunctions emerged after sexual violence, harassment, or unpleasant sexual experiences, while nearly a quarter linked the onset of problems to childbirth.
