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Category Archives: Sexual Health

Consequences of lack of sex education

December 13, 2010 Vivian Marshall

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Despite being one of the most commonly discussed topic in our lives and in the media, there is a surprising lack of correct information about ‘What Sex is all about’.

Those images of the ‘Perfect Macho Man and The Perfect Sensual Woman’ on the TV and in the Magazines make us feel that Sex instead of being a perfectly normal natural and enjoyable thing, is an ‘Act to be Performed to Perfection’. All this does it to add to the confusion and leads to unrealistic fears, expectations and fantasies.

Bad feelings about Sex and its consequences -

Fear of pregnancy; Fear of pain; Fear of being caught/ heard/ or interrupted.
Performance Anxiety-Fear of failing to perform well.
Fear of losing control (during orgasm) and /or becoming vulnerable.
Looking unattractive during the climax.
Bad feelings about yourself or your body like, feeling that the body is unattractive. Feelings that I am not successful (low self-esteem).

Problems in relationship –
Anger/resentment against the partner should be resolved as it can decrease the performance and pleasure while having sex.
Unsuitable circumstances –
While a ‘Quickie’ sometimes can be fun! But normally Good Sex requires a relaxed mind and body. Too much of a hurry, tiredness or preoccupation can rob you of the pleasures of Sex.
Performance anxiety –
This is one of the most significant problems in the way of Good Sex. We often forget that Sex is something that comes naturally to all of us, instead, we seem to view ourselves as performers who have to complete an act to perfection.

Spectator role –

Quite often we start observing ourselves as an audience, instead of really participating in it. Both man and woman should be equally enthusiastic and involved in ‘love making’.

Women’s health issues – PMS, Pregnancy, Infertility.

November 21, 2010 Grace Hampton

Woman checking pregnancy test

Women sometimes neglect their own health and focus instead on their partner’s and their children’s. The woman’s body is wonderfully complex and delicate. However, multiple roles as the mother, daughter, wife, homemaker, wage earner can cause imbalance in both physical and mental health.

As a woman, you might share some common health risks with men, such as heart disease, but because of your special reproductive role, you are at risk of some distinctly female disorders. So first take care of yourself !

Some common problems like, menstrual disorders, pregnancy, breast feeding etc. can be taken care of by regular health check-ups at your nearest health care center. Information on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Contraceptives too is available at public health departments.

Some common women’s health issues are as follows:

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
PMS consists of various physical and/or emotional symptoms that occur in the second half of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation. It is characterized by premenstrual discomfort in the lower abdomen and back, and in the breasts. All these features precede the period by a week or ten days. Fortunately, a woman obtains relief when her menstrual period begins. Another feature of PMS is a symptom-free time for several days every month, in the first half of the menstrual cycle.

Pregnancy

Symptoms of Pregnancy

For a woman having a regular monthly cycle, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period, or sometimes women who are pregnant have a very light period, losing only a little blood. One should immediately approach their nearest health care clinic for a thorough check-up.

Other signs are:

q Feeling sick, not necessarily in the morning, but at any time.

q The breasts may become larger and tender. Veins may become prominent and nipples may darken and stand out.

q Increased frequency in passing urine.

q Tendency for constipation.

q Tiredness.

q An increased vaginal discharge without any associated complaint.

q A metallic taste in the mouth.

q Dislike for certain things like tea or coffee or fatty foods.

q Increased liking for certain things like spicy foods.
Pregnancy test can be carried out on urine samples, as early as from the first day of a missed period-that is, about fourteen days after the conception at any health center.
A positive test result is almost definitive of pregnancy. If the test is negative, it is less reliable. It can be repeated after a week, or a doctor can be consulted.

Infertility
Infertility is defined as the failure to become pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse. There are two types of infertility; Primary infertility, which is infertility without any previous pregnancy; and secondary infertility, when there has been a previous pregnancy.

Common causes of infertility are:

Ovulation problems

Tubal causes

Sperm causes

Unexplained infertility

Age-related factors

Some less common causes are:

Uterine problems

Endometriosis

Previous tubal ligation

Previous vasectomy

Various drugs

Cervical factors

Sexually Transmitted Diseases(STDs)- Prevention Tips

November 14, 2010 Daniel Morris

Sexually Transmitted Diseases4_thumb

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are diseases that can spread from one person to another by sexual contact. STDs can cause pain, and some can cause infertility and even death if not treated. Some common curable STDs are gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydial infection, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.
According to public health department statistics, each year there are more than 333 million new cases of curable STDs, one million new cases of HIV infection, and millions of other viral STDs such as herpes and hepatitis B.

STD Prevention Tips:
People can avoid STDs by changing their sexual behavior. They can follow any of the ABCs:

a. Abstain from sex -This is the only guaranteed protection.

b. Be mutually faithful -Always have sex with the same person. This person must not have sex with any other person and must not have a STD.
Important : You cannot usually tell whether a person has a STD just by looking at him or her. People with STDs, including HIV, usually do not look sick.

c. Consistently use condoms -Use them every time and use them correctly. To prevent STDs, people at risk should use condoms even when they use another family planning method. If a woman’s sex partner is not willing to use condoms, she should try to use spermicide. It is important to note that spermicides do not stop HIV/AIDS. The diaphragm and cervical cap may also help prevent some STDs.

When to begin oral contraception

November 10, 2010 Teresa Hampton

consultGirlDoc2524

When can one go for oral contraception

The first day of the menstrual bleeding is best
Any of the first 7 days after her menstrual bleeding has already stopped, some programs advise avoiding sex or using condoms or spermicide for seven days
After she stops breast feeding or 6 months after child birth—whichever comes first
3 to 6 weeks after childbirth. No need to wait for menstrual periods to return to be certain that she is not pregnant

Some important points to remember in order to have a good physical and mental health:

Pills can be very effective if taken regularly every day
Safe-Serious problems are very rare
Please come back or see another health care provider at once if you have severe , constant pain in the chest, leg, or belly, or very bad headaches, if you see flashing lights or zigzag lines, or if your skin or eyes become unusually yellow (jaundice)
Pills do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including HIV/ AIDS. If you think you might get an STD, use condoms regularly along with your pills.

Pros & Cons of Oral Contraceptives to Women’s health

November 04, 2010 Vivian Marshall

woman_taking_pill

Functioning of the Oral Contraceptives:

-Stop ovulation (release of eggs from ovaries)
-Also thicken cervical mucus, making it difficult for sperm to pass through.
-They do not work by disrupting existing pregnancy.

Advantages to Women’s health :

Very effective when used correctly
No need to do anything at time of sexual intercourse
Increased sexual enjoyment because no need to worry about pregnancy
Monthly periods are regular; lighter monthly bleeding and fewer days of bleeding; milder and fewer menstrual cramps
Can be used at any age from adolescence to menopause
Fertility returns soon after stopping
Can be used as an emergency contraceptive after unprotected sex
Can prevent or decrease iron deficiency, anemia

Disadvantages to Women’s health :

Nausea (most common in first three months)
Spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods, especially if woman forgets to take her pills or takes them late (most common in first three months)
Breast tenderness
Slight weight gain
Not recommended for breast feeding women because they effect quality and quantity of milk
Very rarely can cause stroke, blood clots in deep veins of the legs, or heart attack.
Those at highest risk are women with high BP and women who are age 35 or old and at the same time smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day
Do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Starting Low-Dose Combined Oral Contraceptives

COMBINED ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

October 30, 2010 Sophie Parker

Two types of female oral contraceptive pill are widely available in health centers and public health departments:

The combined oral contraceptive pill contains estrogen and a progestogen, and is taken once per day.
The proestogen only pill contains only progestogen, and is also taken once per day.

Other types of female oral contraceptive are experimental or only available in limited areas in select health care centers:

Mifepristone is an antiprogestogen which has been used as a daily oral contraceptive in investigational clinical trials.
Ormeloxifene (also known as Centchroman) is a selective oestrogen receptor modulator which is taken one to two times per week.

Women who use oral contraceptives swallow a pill each day to prevent pregnancy. Combined oral contraceptives contain two hormones similar to the natural hormones in a woman’s body—an estrogen and a progestin. Also called combined pills, COC’s, OC’s, the pill and birth control pills.