Category Archives: blog-home

Opinion: Sexual health information is a necessity for students

September 15, 2016blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Opinion: Sexual health information is a necessity for students

2016-09-15

The American River College Health Clinic is working hard to help students take care of themselves by partnering with community provider Women’s Health Specialists to provide a variety of reproductive health care services.

For many students, college is an exciting time, whether you are jumping in right after high school or an older student returning after many years.

It is also a busy time, where we juggle very real responsibilities of work, family and school, rushing through life in pursuit of our goals.

It’s in this harried place where sometimes our attention to our health, especially our sexual and reproductive health, can fall to the wayside.

The numbers are sobering. According to a 2014 report released by the Center for Disease Control, young people ages 25-24 account for nearly half of all new Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s) diagnosed every year.

The reasons for the high numbers are complex. Some say it’s because sex education is underfunded in high schools, others say the newly found freedom of college life is a contributing factor, others say that social stigmas regarding STI’s is at fault.

These stigmas may come from many different cultural or religious forces, just talking about sex is still taboo, much less being sexually active or accessing health care services. This can lead to shame or embarrassment when it comes to taking control of our health.

Regardless, accepting the need to value sexual health and talking about it with our partners and with our medical providers is a good first step in taking care of ourselves.

According to Pamela Whipple, a nurse at the Student Health Center, the Sexual Health Clinic is open every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment with drop-ins available.

The clinic offers birth control, emergency birth control, pregnancy testing and STI testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The clinic is welcoming to students of all gender identities and respects preferred gender pronouns.

George Hillman, a Communications Major, feels that it is important for young men to know where they stand with regards to their sexual reproductive health.

“I think if you are going to be intimate with someone, it’s good to make sure that you are not going to hurt them.” said Hillman. “We need to feel comfortable, so I’m glad that they understand that. I didn’t even know they were here. It’s good to know, makes it easier.”

According to Whipple, there are a variety of reasons people may find it difficult to seek out services or talk about sexual health.

“Fear of stigma and prejudice sometimes prevent people from seeking sexual health services,” Whipple said.

As a long time nurse, she has seen the pendulum swing to the positive side.

“…many of the students we serve regard sexual health services like any other service,” Whipple said.

Malmoud Mahabad, a Business Major, thinks that it’s especially important for everyone to care for themselves. “It would help them if they have any issue. When they come here, they can check with the staff. It’s a natural part of life”

Taking care of your sexual health is a critical part of your overall health care and respect for your sexual health can impact you for years to come.

Coil ‘more effective’ than morning after pill

September 15, 2016blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Coil ‘more effective’ than morning after pill

“Women should use the coil rather than the morning-after pill as emergency contraception, according to official new guidelines,” the Mail Online reports.

The guidelines, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), cite previous research showing the coil has a lower failure rate than other forms ofemergency contraception.

The coil, also known as intrauterine device (IUD), is a small, T-shaped contraceptive device made from plastic and copper. It’s inserted into the uterus by a trained health professional. It may prevent an egg from implanting in your womb or being fertilised.

This isn’t “news” as such – it has long been known that the contraceptive coil is more effective and can prevent unwanted pregnancy up to five days after unprotected intercourse, compared to only a few days with the morning-after pill. It also has other advantages, including that it can be used as an ongoing method of contraception to prevent further need for emergency contraception or unwanted pregnancy.

Where did the guidance come from?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), is the guideline body that provides national guidance on health and social care issues.

The current guideline on contraception is what is known as a Quality Standard. These documents set out the priority areas for improvements to the quality of care delivery across the country. They give a list of statements that will help improve and standardise care.

The contraception quality standard covers all methods of contraception, not just emergency, but does not cover related sexual health issues such as sexually transmitted infections. Quality Standards accompany other clinical guidelines that give recommendations on how conditions should be diagnosed and managed.

The information on coils, injections and implants has been drawn from NICE’s clinical guideline on long acting reversible contraception.

Information on other contraceptive methods, including pills and condoms, has been drawn from guidelines produced by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH).

Why was the guidance needed?

As NICE says, it is estimated that almost one in five pregnancies are unplanned, with younger people at greater risk. However, things are improving – since 1998 the under-18 conception rate is said to have halved.

Between 2013 and 2014 there was a 6.8% decrease in rates, giving a conception rate of about 23 per 1,000 15-17 year olds, which is the lowest it’s been since the end of the 1960s.

There remains room to improve though. In 2014 there were also 184,571 terminations or abortions, with the highest rate among young women in their early 20s at 28 per 1,000 pregnancies. For under-18s it was 11.1 per 1,000. More than a third of abortions are in women who’ve already had one or more previously.

In 2014/15, the vast majority of emergency contraception issued by sexual and reproductive health services was for the morning-after pill.

What does the guidance say about emergency contraception?

NICE’s second quality statement is that “Women asking for emergency contraception are told that an intrauterine device is more effective than an oral method”.

An intrauterine device (IUD) refers to the copper coil. It shouldn’t be confused with the hormone-releasing intrauterine system (IUS); another long-term method of contraception.

The IUD can be inserted up to five days after unprotected intercourse, and has a lower failure rate than the morning after pill.

Furthermore, it has the advantage that once it’s inserted it provides an ongoing method of contraception which will reduce the risk of further unplanned pregnancies or need for emergency contraception.

If a woman wishes to have an IUD fitted as a form of emergency contraception, but the healthcare practitioner is not able to fit it there and then, NICE advises that the woman is given the morning after pill in the interim, and then directed to a service that can fit the coil.

There are two morning after pills. The standard morning after pill (levonorgestrel, brand name Levonelle) can only be taken up to three days after unprotected sex. The newer pill (ulipristal acetate, brand name ellaOne) is a longer acting pill and is also effective up to five days after unprotected sex.

Conclusions

The quality standard emphasises best medical practice on this issue – women requesting emergency contraception should be advised on the benefits of the copper coil or IUD for several reasons. Namely, it being the method:

with the lowest failure rate
that can be used up to five days after sex
that provides a long-acting ongoing method of contraception

Despite the IUD’s known effectiveness and benefits, in 2014/15, the vast majority of emergency contraception issued by sexual and reproductive health services was for the morning-after pill. It’s worth taking a moment to consider why this may be the case.

The morning after pill can be purchased over the counter at a pharmacy – the woman doesn’t need to see a doctor and they don’t have to have an examination to have a coil fitted, both of which some women could naturally feel embarrassed about or averse to. Also, some women may not like the idea of long-term coil left in place.

It should also be recognised that while IUDs are effective at preventing pregnancy, they do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the same way as barrier methods of contraception such ascondoms. And if you get an STI while you have an IUD, it could lead to a pelvic infection if not treated.

Nevertheless, in terms of effective emergency contraception, as Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive of NICE says: “We want to empower women with the best information about all methods of contraception and their effectiveness so they can make an informed decision … We also want to ensure women are told the coil is more effective than the pill as emergency contraception.”

Dr Jan Wake, GP and member of the guideline development group said: “The advantage of the coil, on top of being more effective is that it can be retained and used as long term contraception, some can even be left in place for 10 years … Timing however is essential and women deciding on the coil should make contact with the clinic they have been advised to attend as soon as is possible.”

For more information on choices about contraception visit the NHS Choices Contraception Guide.

Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow NHS Choices on Twitter. Join the Healthy Evidence forum.

Sex mis-education: What young people ask their sexual health nurse

August 26, 2016Behaviour, blog, blog-homeSRH Matters

Sex mis-education: What young people ask their sexual health nurse

2016-08-26

KATIE KENNY

A nurse at a university health centre, Susan* has learnt not to judge the students who appear in her office.

Occasionally, however, she will lean forward, raise her eyebrows, and ask: “Really?”

While she’s often surprised by young people’s lack of knowledge, she’s understanding.

“Our youth have underdeveloped brains yet we are asking them to decide careers, manage money, live away from home for the first time, deal with drugs, sex, alcohol, stress, loneliness, university work load … no wonder they let their hair down.

“Plus they don’t understand consequences. They don’t. That’s why we need to teach good old fashioned communication skills, like talking.”

er day-to-day job involves “a lot of sexual health appointments and smear tests”. It also involves answering a lot of questions. And asking them.

I’m here for the Emergency Contraceptive Pill

Student: “I’m here for the ECP.”

Susan: “Why?”

Student: “I got drunk last night and I think I had sex.”

Susan: “Do you know who you had sex with?”

Student: “Not really”, or, “I woke up beside a guy in bed”, or, “I feel like I’ve had sex but I can’t remember it”.

At this point Susan is wondering if the young woman was drugged, if she passed out, if she gave consent. Susan keeps asking questions. Of course she will give the student the ECP.

Sometimes, Susan will use a diagram to explain basic female anatomy to her patients.

“You tell more than one woman they’ve got three holes. I show them pictures. I explain what a cervix is. There are a lot of things they just don’t get.”

Student: “I think I have chlamydia.”

Susan: “Why do you think that? Are you sexually active?”

Student: “Yes. I’m in a relationship.”

Susan: “How long have you been in a relationship for? And are they your first partner?”

Student: “About 18 months, and yes, she’s my first partner, and I’m her first partner.”

Susan: “Are you using contraception?”

Student: “She’s on the pill.”

Susan: “What makes you think you have chlamydia? Is it because you don’t trust her?”

Student: “Oh no, we’ve just never used condoms. At school we were told if you don’t use condoms you get chlamydia.”

Susan feels for the guy – obviously he had a hard-line health teacher.

I want an STI check

One of the main reasons young men visit a sexual health nurse is for STI checks.

“They might be starting a new relationships and want the all-clear, or their ex-partner has said they’ve got chlamydia, or they’ve had unprotected sex, or they’ve been in a relationship for a while and they want to stop using condoms …”

Student: “I want an STI check.”

Susan: “Why’s that?”

Student: “Because I had sex the other night and we didn’t use condoms.”

Susan: “Why didn’t you use condoms?”

Student: “Because she’s on the pill.”

Susan: “What’s that got to do with anything?”

Student: “Oh.”

Susan: “Why aren’t you using condoms?”

Student: “I don’t need them.”

Susan: “Obviously you do if you think you’ve got an STI.”

If it becomes clear he’s been mistreating a woman, Susan doesn’t hesitate to ask: “How would you like if that was being done to your sister?”

That really gets them, she says. “They can get quite aggressive but most just sit back and go, ‘woah’.”

Peer pressure is often to blame, she says. “That’s the biggest thing kids have got to rise above.”

Many parents ring the clinic to try to get the goss on their kids – details which the centre is prohibited from releasing. A better strategy, Susan says, is to stay in touch with your kids and discuss “the ups and downs”.

“It’s got a lot to do with your parents … being taught about respect and morals and staying safe and that sort of thing.

“Maybe as parents we do have a lot to answer for, in that our kids are being sent out into the world unprepared.”

*To protect the nurse’s identity and that of her patients we have used a pseudonym.

– Stuff

Porn is damaging young men’s sexual health and causing erectile dysfunction, expert warns

August 16, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Porn is damaging young men’s sexual health and causing erectile dysfunction, expert warns

2016-08-16

Young men are increasingly suffering sexual health problems as a direct result of their porn addiction, an expert has cautioned.

The NHS has seen a rise in the number of young men in their late teens and early twenties complaining of erectile dysfunction, which therapist Angela Gregory attributes to online porn.

“Our experience is that, historically, men that were referred to our clinic with problems with erectile dysfunction were older men whose issues were related to diabetes, MS, cardiovascular disease,” she said.

“These younger men do not have organic disease, they’ve already been tested by their GP and everything is fine.

“So one of the first assessment questions I’d always ask now is about pornography and masturbatory habit because that can be the cause of their issues about maintaining an erection with a partner.”

Nick (not his real name), found his porn viewing habits quickly escalated once he got his first laptop aged 15, leading to him watch videos every day. At his lowest point, he was watching around two hours daily.

“What I was watching, it definitely got more extreme over a short period of time in my case. There was nothing that would give me a kick,” he said.

“Normal stuff didn’t do anything any more, so I had to get more and more extreme material. [It was] disturbing stuff that disturbed me that, in normal life, I wouldn’t dream of doing.”

Watching porn divorced from human contact had a dramatic effect on Nick’s libido, making it difficult for him to perform in real life.

“I found that when I was lying next to a girl a lot that I just wouldn’t be horny at all, despite being really attracted to the girl and wanting to have sex with her, [because] my sexuality was completely wired towards porn.

“At my peak I was probably watching up to two hours of porn every day.”

Nick approached a doctor for help, who told him a lot of men his age were suffering the same type of problems.

He eventually managed 100 days without watching porn, and saw his sexual health markedly improve.

“My libido came back with a vengeance and I met this girl and it was great. For the first time in ages I was able to flirt and within quite a short time I was able to have normal sex,” he said. “I was feeling so balanced and happy.”

An anonymous young woman told BBC Newsbeat she has spent over £2,000 on laser hair removal after a one night stand criticised her pubic hair, which she believes is down to the influence of porn.

“I think porn has definitely had an impact on what men expect women’s body hair to be like,” she said.

Bob, who is married to Rachel, first watched porn when he was nine or 10.

“I really started to look at it actively in probably year eight, and quickly found myself addicted. Since then I’ve been trying to work my way away from it, and remove it from my life,” he said. Obviously, it’s hard. It is an issue for me and my wife.”

“It makes me feel rubbish about myself. If you sometimes look at porn, now that we’re married, I just feel like ‘Am I not giving you something that you want?’” Rachel said. “I don’t think you can masturbate to porn and then pretend that it’s not part of your sexuality.”

If you think you’re having a problem related to porn, Angela Gregory advises talking to your GP.

Men’s Health Thursday: When Having Sex Is Bad For Your Health

January 25, 2016Behaviour, blog-homeSRH Matters

Men’s Health Thursday: When Having Sex Is Bad For Your Health

2016-01-25

A lot of us look at all the positive things that comes with having good sex and barely worry about the negative things. If we do worry about it, it will be about coming too fast and not making a fool of ourselves. We should however worry about certain other important things such as headaches which may occur as a result of orgasms or an allergy to your own semen.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? These things actually do occur even though they may be rare and far between. Here are three times sex could be bad for your health and what you should do if you ever find yourself in such conditions.

Depression
The feeling after sex should be one of ecstasy and serenity not depression. Some people however feel depressed after sex and this condition is known as post-coital dysphoria. The condition affects fewer men and an antidepressants prescription will do much to reduce the feelings of depression. The drugs however have side effects including delayed ejaculation and low libido. There may also be an underlying cause for the depression which may involve your partner and how you perceive your sexual life. If you suffer from this. You may want to consider discussing whatever sexual issues you have with your partner and solving them. This can help you both to feel happier and better satisfied.

Semen Allergy
Semen allergy may be accompanied with signs and symptoms which include a fever, runny nose, and upset stomach. The condition is known as post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) and occurs when your body incorrectly identifies proteins in your own semen as an antigen or foreign invaders causing your immune system to attack them.

Furthermore, the vagina fluids secreted in women can also trigger an allergic reaction in men, though it is less severe. Also, a man can also develop an allergy to another man’s semen in much rarer cases.

The symptoms for semen allergy may occur immediately or days later. It is essential to see a doctor or immunologist to properly diagnose your allergic condition. However, a study in the journal of Sexual medicine suggests that anti-inflammatory medications when taken before and after sex can go a long way in calming the immune system to prevent any autoimmune reaction that can trigger the symptoms associated with semen allergy.

Headaches
It is estimated that about one in 100 people suffer headaches during or immediately after sexual activity. The research published by the American society of Headache also found out that men were more likely to be sufferers and feel the pain more than women. The headaches sometimes builds up in response to the intensity of the sexual activity or commences the instance orgasm occurs.
The cause of the headaches has been linked to the release of the hormone adrenaline which causes an increase in the blood pressure which may inadvertently, trigger a headache.
It is essential you see a doctor if the headaches occur suddenly, are severe and continues for a long while. Some of these headaches may be a precursor to more serious medical issues such as strokes or aneurysms. Your doctor will be in the best position to determine the best cause of treatment.

Seminar held on sexual and reproductive health of garment workers –

January 20, 2016blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Seminar held on sexual and reproductive health of garment workers –

2016-01-20

Sexual and reproductive health of garment workers is of key importance and must be acknowledged and addressed, health activists said during a seminar held last week.

The seminar “Media Sensitisation: Value Creation in RMG through embedding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in factories and the need for positive marketing” was organised by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation’s “Working With Women” project. It was held at BGMEA center last Wednesday.

“SRHR as a topic needs to come out to the public,” said Dr Nazneen Akhter, senior lecturer at North South University while presenting her keynote speech at the seminar.

She added: “We need to get rid of the jargon, and simplify it so that a garment worker can take ownership of the term and say that it is their issue as well.”

Along with Dr Naznee, Shariful Islam, founder of Bangladesh Brand Forum also presented the keynote paper in the seminar, followed by an open discussion session among journalists and hosts.

Engr Md Kawsar Ali, COO of Comfit Composite Ltd, shared his experience of the initiatives taken at his factory. Engr Kawser’s factory has set an exemplary record for volunteering to help SNV with their time on this project.

Members from Kawser’s factory, as well as Southeast Textiles Private Limited, another garment factory, were present during the SNV trainings, and also came forward to invest 60% in this project, according to a SNV representative.

“Often we see that due to lack of certain facilities available at the workplace, the workers become weak themselves,” said Kawser. “Then we lose them from the job market which in turn impedes on the growth of the entire industry.”

“The sector is already suffering because we’re losing a lot of potential workers,” he added, emphasising on the urgent need to address sexual and reproductive health needs of female garment workers, who make up the majority of the garment workforce.

Ashrafur Rahman Ranju, COO, Millennium Textile and Faruque Hassan, senior vice-president, BGMEA were also present at the seminar. Faruque shared remarks from BGMEA about the project and urged the journalists to promote good practices in the RMG sector in order to stimulate growth of the industry.

– See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/feature/2016/jan/20/seminar-held-sexual-and-reproductive-health-garment-workers#sthash.1Ppd85hL.dpuf

Syeda Samira Sadeque

Latest Studies Show Testosterone Therapy Safe, Beneficial

December 17, 2015blog-home, featuredSRH Matters

Latest Studies Show Testosterone Therapy Safe, Beneficial

2015-12-17

It is normal for testosterone to decline as a man ages, about 1% per year once a man has reached middle age. Most men never notice the drop. But some middle-aged and older men feel symptoms when their level has reached a certain point. Symptoms include a decline in sex drive, a lack of energy, moodiness, erectile dysfunction, an inability to lose weight, and in extreme cases loss of muscle and bone mass. Some clinicians call this age-related hypogonadism. Others deny that the condition even exists. Practitioners in the first camp had been prescribing testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).Lots of their patients said it has rejuvenated them, restoring their energy, giving them a more positive attitude, and returning their sex drive to them.

Two previous studies have shown an increase in cardiovascular events associated with TRT. The fear was that an increase in testosterone would ramp up red blood cell production, leading to atherosclerosis or blood clots, the fear being one may get lodged in an artery. It could cause a heart attack or stroke if this occurs in a blood vessel leading to the heart or the brain. But now ever more comprehensive studies are showing just the opposite that TRT is safe and in many cases beneficial.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston just finished up a three year study on TRT, led by Shalender Bhasin, MD. Bhasin’s team found no increased risk of blood clots among older men with low to borderline low testosterone. A large, observational study soon to be published in the European Heart Journal actually showed a decreased risk of heart attack and stroke in conjunction with TRT. In March of this year, the FDA placed warning labels on TRT products about the risks. Now the agency is urging pharmaceutical companies to chip in on a comprehensive study to determine what if any risks exist. For those men experiencing the symptoms associated with low testosterone, it is advised that you speak to a doctor or an urologist, perhaps even an endocrinologist. There may be several conditions which have these exact same symptoms. So it is important to have a licensed doctor determine the cause.

“Small Penis Syndrome” All Inside Your Head

December 3, 2015blog-home, Psycological HealthSRH Matters

“Small Penis Syndrome” All Inside Your Head

2015-12-03

With the pervasiveness of internet porn, a lot of men today have the mistaken impression that a seven inch penis is the norm. In fact, it is a behemoth. Male porn actors are carefully selected for their size. In fact, the entire process of making a pornographic film is unnatural, from start to finish. This is not a very good source for learning about human sexuality, or the male anatomy.

Small penis syndrome for the vast majority of men is psychological, not physical. One British study found that of 63% of men interviewed about their penis size claimed to be inadequate. But when physically examined, researchers determined that each was within the average range. Average is considered between 5.5 and 6.2 inches in length and 4.7 to 5.1 inches in girth. Meanwhile, a survey of women on the subject found the vast majority, 85%, were satisfied with their partner’s size.

What about women, do they prefer a larger size? Men’s Health sexpert Debby Herbenick, Ph.D. said that when it comes to the physical act of love, a larger penis may be prohibitive to a woman’s orgasm, rather than helping it to occur. A man who is too large may even need to accept shallower penetration. Otherwise, he may hit her cervix which can cause pain and bring the entire episode to a screeching halt. Women generally orgasm due to clitoral stimulation—usually through oral or digital contact, or through the use of a sex toy such as a vibrator.

The aforementioned British study found that instead of length, women prefer wider penises. This is because it better stimulates the area of the lower vagina during intercourse. Those with a thin penis can overcome it using certain positions to increase stimulation. One way is by using a circular motion when thrusting, or by taking part in certain positions during intercourse. When she is on top, place a pillow under your bottom. Try taking her from behind. When in missionary, hold up one of her legs for deeper penetration. For those men who still believe they do not measure up, steer clear of supplements or devices found online. These have been found to be dangerous. Instead, be sure to seek out a medical professional, such as a doctor or urologist, for a reliable evaluation.