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GARP Chapter 10: Sexual Function and Fertility, Explained Simply

Scored by how old you were when it started, not how old you are now. The younger the onset, the higher the number.

Veterans Health Centre · 7 September 2026 · 5 min read

Chapter 10 covers sexual function, fertility and breasts.

It is the chapter veterans skip. It is worth real points, and the ratings are higher the younger you were when it started.

Sexual function — men

The table is scored by age at onset. Not your age now. Your age when the problem began.

Impotence that has not been fixed by treatment:

onset under 30 — 25
30 to 39 — 20
40 to 64 — 15
65 to 74 — 10
75 to 84 — 5

Impotence that treatment has improved scores less — 15 under 40, down to 2 at 75 to 84.

Also on the table: severe pain after ejaculation (20 under 40), scarring of the penis and Peyronie's disease (2 each), and loss of all or most of the penis (30 under 30).

"Impotence" here means a persistent inability to get an erection firm enough for intercourse. Only one rating is given, however many conditions caused it.

Sexual function — women

Two tables, and you can score on both.

The first covers persistent inability to have intercourse, because of obstruction, vaginismus or pain:

onset under 30 — 25
under 40 — 20
40 to 64 — 10
65 to 74 — 5

The second covers sensation and climax — reduced sensation scores 2, inability to climax scores 5 or 10 depending on age, and surgical loss scores from 10 up to 25.

Fertility

Part 10.2 covers infertility and reduced fertility.

The Guide has specific definitions. Infertility includes a woman who has been medically advised not to become pregnant because of risk to her life or health, or serious risk to the child — for example after radiotherapy. Reduced fertility covers needing IVF or similar help to conceive.

For men, infertility means being unable to father a child; reduced fertility covers needing medical help because of low sperm count or similar.

Breasts

Part 10.3 covers loss of breast tissue and related conditions, for both women and men.

Disfigurement from surgery is rated separately under Chapter 17, and it can be combined with this. Do not let both be missed.

Cyclical problems

Period pain, premenstrual conditions and anything else that runs on a cycle should be rated under Chapter 15, because they come and go. If the contraceptive pill controls it completely, the rating is nil — but if the pill itself causes significant side effects, those can be claimed on their own.

Why this gets missed

Two reasons. Veterans do not raise it, and assessors do not always ask.

It is worth remembering that a lot of this is a side effect of accepted conditions — antidepressants, blood pressure medication, opioid painkillers, nerve damage, spinal injury, and PTSD itself. If your accepted condition or its treatment caused it, it belongs in the assessment.

What this means for you

Note the age it started. It sets the number, and it is often much earlier than you think.
Raise it even if it feels awkward. The assessor may not ask.
Link it to your accepted conditions or their medications where that applies.
Women can score on both sexual function tables.
Check Chapter 17 as well if there has been surgery.

Common questions

It is caused by my antidepressants. Does it still count?

If the medication is for an accepted condition, the side effect can generally be assessed. Have it recorded and ask the question.

Treatment works for me. Do I still get a rating?

Yes, at a lower level. There are separate rows for impotence improved by treatment.

Is my age now or my age then?

Age at onset. That is why getting the date right matters.

Next in this series

Chapter 11: skin.

Want a hand with yours?

If you have a permanent impairment assessment coming up, we do these every week. Call 0429 146 039 or email reception@vhc.org.au.

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