Ultrastructural and quantitative study of clitoral cavernous tissue from living subjects.

Introduction: There has never been an investigation about the in vivo clitoral structure.

Aim: To study the "in vivo" age-related structural changes of the clitoris in healthy women and in those affected by metabolic disorders.

Methods: Forty-three women subgrouping in (i) five teenagers, aged 14-18; (ii) eight young premenopausal women, aged 23-32; (iii) 10 premenopausal women, aged 38-47; (iv) nine diabetic premenopausal women, aged 27-43; and (v) 11 naturally postmenopausal women aged 51-55.