04/06/2026
It’s hard to believe that a complete 3D mapping of the cl****is has only just been done - and as this image shows, its nerve network is extensive and more complex than previously thought.
While these types of findings are often prefaced as a great leap forward for women’s sexual health, there are other really important things that come from finally having this level of anatomical detail.
It’s vital for surgical reasons - if you don’t know where the nerves are you could do damage when operating, or if you are doing gender reaffirming or reconstructive surgery, knowing where the nerves are could improve outcomes. This is really important for those who’ve experienced female ge***al mutilation or are undergoing cancer surgeries.
It’s been almost 30 years Australian urologist, Professor Helen O’Connell, revealed that there was much more to the cl****is than was previous thought, and it’s worth noting that this level of detail on the p***s has been available for around 30 years too.
So if this were done for men so long ago, why has it taken so long for women?
Gender bias in medicine is a driving force, Gynaecologist Miriam Al Adib told Medscape and it has consequences:
“While the anatomy and physiology of the p***s have been studied in detail, the lack of equivalent research on female ge***alia has had scientific and clinical consequences. It has led to an incomplete understanding of female sexuality, limited innovation in surgical techniques that respect function, and contributed to deficient sexual education based on incomplete or incorrect models,” Al Adib said. She added this research “contributes to placing women’s sexual health on a rigorous scientific level and correcting historical inequalities in the production of knowledge. Progress in this field not only improves clinical care but also has implications in terms of quality of life, rights, and health equity.”
This is why research is important.
