One aspect of the challenge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is the stigma. But consensual sexual activity, which is a natural part of adult life, involves intimate contact that can spread infection. And millions of people get STIs every year. Make that about 20 million new cases a year, according to the CDC, including infections… Continue reading Stigma-Free Talk about Genital Herpes
Category: Sexual Health
Your skin supports the life of all other body parts and plays a key role in maintaining your immune system, so having healthy skin is vital.
A New Way to Test for Sexually Transmitted Infections
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for marketing two tests to detect the sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhea, through diagnostic testing of extragenital specimens. The Aptima Combo 2 Assay and the Xpert CT/NG are the first devices cleared for extragenital diagnostic testing of these infections via the throat and rectum, the… Continue reading A New Way to Test for Sexually Transmitted Infections
How to Better Reach Men for HIV Testing
Providing pregnant women with HIV self-testing kits to pass along to their male partners can boost the partners’ rate of HIV testing and entry into care, according to a research article published in January 2019 in PLOS Medicine by Augustine Choko of the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Clinical Research Program, Malawi, and London School of Hygiene & Tropical… Continue reading How to Better Reach Men for HIV Testing
On The Horizon: A Contraceptive Gel for Men
Researchers are working on a new contraceptive gel – for men. A clinical trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will conduct a study of 420 couples around the world. The gel, called NES/T, includes the progestin compound segesterone acetate (brand name Nestorone), in combination with testosterone. Men who participate in the study… Continue reading On The Horizon: A Contraceptive Gel for Men
Newborn Syphilis Is on The Rise
Cases of congenital syphilis, passed from mother to baby during pregnancy or delivery, have more than doubled since 2013. The number of reported cases jumped from 362 in 2013 to 918 in 2017, according to the annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2017 figure… Continue reading Newborn Syphilis Is on The Rise
News Alert: HPV Vaccine Approved for People 27 to 45
The anti-cancer HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, previously approved only for people aged 9 through 26, has now been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women and men aged 27 through 45. FDA officials said that the expanded application of the vaccine would prevent thousands of cases of cancer caused by… Continue reading News Alert: HPV Vaccine Approved for People 27 to 45
Study First to Report Sexual Behavior Norms for U.S. Adults with Dementia Living at Home
Most people with dementia who have partners and live at home are sexually active, according to new research. But people with cognitive impairment and dementia often have sexual function problems they don’t discuss with their doctor. The findings, from a University of Chicago Medicine study, were published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.… Continue reading Study First to Report Sexual Behavior Norms for U.S. Adults with Dementia Living at Home
Simple Nerve Stimulation May Improve Sexual Response in Women
Treatment traditionally used for overactive bladder may offer new hope for women with sexual dysfunction Electrodes aren’t the first thing most people think of when it comes to achieving sexual arousal. But if the results of a pilot study done at the University of Michigan in September 2018 are any indication, that may soon change.… Continue reading Simple Nerve Stimulation May Improve Sexual Response in Women
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Increasing Sharply
Nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the United States in 2017, according to preliminary statistics released by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) This surpassed the previous record set in 2016 by more than 200,000 cases and marked the fourth consecutive year of sharp increases in… Continue reading Sexually Transmitted Diseases Increasing Sharply
STD Confidential: “Intimate” Skin Diseases Are on the Rise and Dermatologists Can Help
While love, according to the song, is the sweetest thing, the after-effects of its activity can sometimes be not-so-sweet symptoms: the bumps, sores, and rashes of sexually transmitted disease. These infections often include skin symptoms and dermatologists are an important resource for diagnosis and treatment. All insurances cover treatment of STDs as it is important… Continue reading STD Confidential: “Intimate” Skin Diseases Are on the Rise and Dermatologists Can Help
The Cost of Drugs to Treat Painful Sex for Women Is Becoming Prohibitive
It wasn’t all that long ago that women weren’t supposed to talk about sex, let alone after a certain age. Thankfully this attitude is changing, but for many women who experience painful sex, it’s not changing quickly enough. According to the North American Menopause Society, between 17% and 45% of postmenopausal women experience pain during… Continue reading The Cost of Drugs to Treat Painful Sex for Women Is Becoming Prohibitive
Sex After 65: Poll Finds Links to Health, Gender Differences & Lack of Communication
40% of people between the ages of 65 and 80 are sexually active – nearly 75% have a romantic partner and 54% of those with a partner are sexually active . This, according to the new findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging. A 2018 poll done at the University of Michigan busts stereotypes about the… Continue reading Sex After 65: Poll Finds Links to Health, Gender Differences & Lack of Communication
Women Who Believe Sexual Desire Changes Over Time Have Less Trouble with Low Libido
Women who believe that their sex drive will change over time are better able to handle difficulties with sexual desire, according to a new study. Siobhan Sutherland, a PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, in Ontario, and Uzma S. Rehman, a professor of psychology at Waterloo, conducted the research. They sought to determine how… Continue reading Women Who Believe Sexual Desire Changes Over Time Have Less Trouble with Low Libido
Battling A Sexually Transmitted Superbug
Every year, more than 100 million people worldwide develop the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea, with health consequences such as infertility, transmission of the disease to newborn babies, and increased risk of HIV infections. Gonorrhea is caused by bacteria which can rapidly develop resistance to all known antibiotics; the bacteria are commonly called superbugs. Gonorrhea superbugs… Continue reading Battling A Sexually Transmitted Superbug
Better Sex Starts with Healthy Feet and Eyes: 7 Ways They’re Medically Connected
People are always looking for ways to spice things up in the bedroom. Did you know the health of your eyes and feet have a lot to do with sex? In fact, the eyes, feet and genitals create an interesting triad that harbors countless connections for sexual and medical information. A weak point in one… Continue reading Better Sex Starts with Healthy Feet and Eyes: 7 Ways They’re Medically Connected
Researchers Take an Important Step Toward a Gonorrhea Vaccine
Researchers at Oregon State University in Corvallis and Purdue University are paving the way toward a new therapeutic approach for gonorrhea by shedding light on the mechanism behind important proteins on the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria’s outer membrane. The findings were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in February 2018. The National Institutes of Health… Continue reading Researchers Take an Important Step Toward a Gonorrhea Vaccine
A Call for Greater Attention to Older Women’s Sexual Health
A January 2018 Journal of the American Geriatrics Society article reviewed common issues in caring for the sexual health of older women, noting that physicians often lack sufficient training. A release from the publishers notes that only a minority of older women report discussing sexual issues with a physician, and when discussions do occur, they… Continue reading A Call for Greater Attention to Older Women’s Sexual Health
Making Love with Your Five Senses
One of the tough things about being in my 60s is that so much of what I used to consider my essential parts have broken down or dried up. I can touch my toes, but my knees are terrible. Bending, any bending, is not so easy, which makes the idea of spicing things up with… Continue reading Making Love with Your Five Senses