Mapping the Clitoris Reshapes Understanding of Women’s Health, Experts Say

Image: https://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/clitoris

Groundbreaking research revealing the complex nerve structure of the clitoris is challenging long-held assumptions in medicine and exposing significant gaps in women’s health research, according to experts speaking at HLTH Europe 2026.

For decades, the clitoris has been one of the least understood organs in human anatomy despite its central role in female sexual function. Now, new imaging research is providing the most detailed map yet of its internal nerve networks, with potentially far-reaching implications for childbirth, pelvic surgery and reconstructive procedures.

Speaking at HLTH Europe 2026, Dame Lesley Regan, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College London and the UK Government’s Women’s Health Ambassador, highlighted the extent of misconceptions surrounding the organ.

Demonstrating an anatomical model during a panel discussion, Regan explained that the small external structure commonly recognised as the clitoris represents only a fraction of its full anatomy.

“Most of it is under the surface, and you can’t see it,” she told delegates, describing the extensive internal body, crura and bulbs that make up the organ.

A Longstanding Gap in Women’s Health Research

Experts at the conference argued that the limited understanding of the clitoris reflects broader inequalities in medical research and innovation.

Paula Bellostas Muguerza, Global Lead for Healthcare and Life Sciences at consulting firm Kearney, highlighted significant disparities in investment and research.

According to figures presented during the session, only 20% of healthcare research funding is directed towards women’s health, while just 3% of clinical trials are specifically focused on women. Beyond breast and ovarian cancers, only 31% of the translational research pipeline addresses female-specific health needs.

“The clitoris is the perfect, neglected poster child for this systemic bias,” Bellostas Muguerza said. Regan suggested historical attitudes towards female sexuality have contributed to the lack of scientific attention.

“Historically, women were not meant to enjoy sex because it’s an organ of pleasure, and it’s very effective,” she said.

New Imaging Technology Reveals Complex Nerve Networks

The latest advances stem from research led by neuroscientist Ju Young Lee, PhD, a research associate at Amsterdam University Medical Centers in the Netherlands.

Using synchrotron X-ray imaging at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France, Lee and colleagues produced highly detailed images of the clitoris and its neural pathways. The facility generates X-rays significantly more powerful than those used in conventional medical imaging, allowing researchers to visualise structures that were previously difficult to study.

Lee said the project emerged from concerns about the lack of anatomical information available to guide common procedures such as episiotomies during childbirth. “Women suffer from long-term side effects due to nerve damage,” she said.

The findings have particular relevance for obstetric care, where injury to pelvic nerves during childbirth can result in chronic pain, loss of sensation and sexual dysfunction.

Since publishing the research, Lee said she has received messages from women reporting long-term complications following childbirth, including reduced genital sensation and difficulties achieving orgasm.

The research also has implications for reconstructive and cosmetic procedures involving the vulva. According to Regan, a clearer understanding of clitoral anatomy could help surgeons avoid damaging nerve networks during operations, including procedures performed following female genital mutilation (FGM).

Implications for Clinical Practice

Healthcare experts say the detailed anatomical mapping could lead to improvements in postpartum care, surgical planning and patient outcomes.

Historically, limited knowledge of female pelvic anatomy has left clinicians without comprehensive guidance on how to minimise nerve injury during procedures. Researchers believe the new data could help inform surgical techniques designed to preserve sensation and sexual function.

The work also highlights growing calls for women’s health to receive greater attention from researchers, healthcare providers and investors.

For Lee, the project demonstrates how existing scientific infrastructure can be leveraged to address longstanding gaps in knowledge.

“The lesson here is you may already have the tools to contribute to women’s health,” she said. “You don’t need to build a whole new pipeline.”

A Wider Opportunity for Healthcare

Speakers at the conference argued that women’s health should not be viewed as a niche area of medicine but as a critical component of healthcare for more than half the global population.

Regan described the sector as a significant opportunity for scientific, therapeutic and commercial innovation, while Bellostas Muguerza argued that improving understanding of women’s biology would ultimately benefit healthcare more broadly.

“If the life sciences sector commits to genuinely studying that 51% of the population, we will finally unlock a clearer, more accurate understanding of health for 100% of it,” she said.

Researchers and advocates hope that advances in anatomical mapping represent a turning point for women’s health, helping to address decades of underinvestment and improve outcomes across reproductive, sexual and pelvic healthcare.

Sources:

• Manuela Callari, Medscape Medical News, “Mapping the Clitoris Reshapes Our Understanding of Women’s Health” (2026).

• HLTH Europe 2026 conference presentations.

• Comments from Dame Lesley Regan, Imperial College London; Ju Young Lee, Amsterdam UMC; and Paula Bellostas Muguerza, Kearney.