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Women's Sexual Health

Hopes for the Holidays

One of the major concerns of having sexual contact is the threat of sexually transmitted diseases ("STD's"). In women over the age of thirty, the most often seen STDs are Chlamydia, Genital Herpes and Human Papillomavirus ("HPV"). STDs are most prevalent among teenagers and young adults who account for two-thirds of all STDs, but everyone is at risk except for those who are in monogamous relationships. Routine testing is suggested for those who have sex with more than one partner or upon changing sex partners.

Anyone who is sexually active should do the following to prevent obtaining and transmitting an STD.

Have regular checkups even in the absence of symptoms

Educate yourself about the different types of testing done for each STD

Learn the common symptoms

Avoid anal intercourse

Avoid douching as it removes the normal protective bacteria from your vagina

Chlamydia
This infection is caused by bacteria and is now the most common of all bacterial STDs. The symptoms in both men and women are an abnormal genital discharge and burning upon urination. This STD is known to show NO symptoms in many women and an untreated infection may lead the Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, one of the leading causes of infertility and ectopic pregnancy. This is why you should be regularly tested upon changing sex partners. Once diagnosed, an antibiotic will be prescribed by your health care professional.

Genital Herpes
Genital Herpes affects over 60 million Americans with over 500,000 new cases annually. Another statistic we found estimated 25 percent of adults in the United States have genital herpes and that most don’t know it because their symptoms are too mild to notice. Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus ("HSV"). The symptoms in both men and women are blisters and open sores in the genital area. The blisters and sores last for approximately two to three weeks but the virus remains in the body for life. Outbreaks of sores may recur from time to time. Having sexual contact, either oral or genital, with someone who is in the middle of an outbreak spreads the virus. Sharing a vibrator or dildo can also spread herpes but you would have to be actively sharing, as the virus cannot live outside of the body for long. Did you know oral sex with some one who has a cold sore could also cause a transfer of the virus to the genital area. Herpes can be treated with antiviral medication that may ease the severity of the outbreaks, but will not eradicate the virus. To find out more about types of testing conducted for Herpes and other helpful information click here.

Genital Warts
Genital Warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus ("HPV") which is a relative of the virus that causes common skin warts. The warts usually appear as small hard painless bumps in the vaginal area, on the penis, or around the anus. They will grow if left untreated and become fleshy and cauliflower like in appearance. Genital warts are removed by a topical drug or by freezing. Certain high-risk types of HPV not only cause genital warts but also cause cervical cancer. Once diagnosed and treated for genital warts it is important for women to have regular pap smears.

Everything You Need to Know About Pap Smears
Pap smears consist of cells removed from the cervix which are specially prepared for microscopic examination. A gynecologist or other health care provider removes the cells by brushing or scraping the cervix during a pelvic examination. The removed cells are evenly spread on one or more glass slides. Each slide typically contains hundreds of thousand of cells. All Pap smears should be sent to an accredited laboratory to be stained, examined under a microscope, and interpreted.

More recently there is another method for obtaining pap smears. The method of scraping is the same, but instead of spreading the scraping from the cervix immediately on a glass slide the swab is placed into a liquid which suspends the debris and cells. The container is then centrifuged (Spun so that the heavier matter settles at the bottom) and the cells are then separated from any mucous or other matter found on the swab and then placed on a slide for reading. This procedure may be more accurate as it isolates the cells from other vaginal material.

There are certain things that a woman can do to ensure that she gets the most accurate Pap smear available. Remember the Pap smear is taking cells from your cervix on the inside of your vagina, so any foreign substances can make your pap smear inaccurate. You should always try and schedule your pap smear for two weeks after the first day of your last menstrual period. Pap smears should not be scheduled during your menstrual period. Do not use any vaginal medications, creams, contraceptives, douches or lubricants for at least 72 hours prior to your exam. Do not have sexual intercourse or masturbate for at least 24 hours prior to your exam. Always make sure that your pap smear is being sent to an accredited laboratory and remember to follow-up with your health care provider.

Libido - Yours, Mine and Ours
Libido, or lack of it can be one of the major stresses in a relationship or marriage. But what causes a lack of sex drive when everything else in the relationship is working? There are two different major types of causes of lack of libido, physical and psychological.

The major physical causes for decreased libido, or lack of sex drive in women specifically are as follows:

Hormonal imbalances caused by the natural ebb and flow of our monthly cycles with generally the lowest sex drive coming just before our period and the highest during ovulation.
The aging process itself decreases the amounts of hormones that are cycling through our bodies and we have less of the three major hormones progesterone, estrogen and testosterone that affect our libido.
Atrophic Vaginitus, which is changes in the vaginal tissue, caused by the aging process and is characterized by vaginal dryness that leads to painful sex. The pain of sex itself is what causes the lack of sex drive and can be alleviated with the use of a good lubricant such as Eros for Women.
Women in there thirties and forties suffer from fatigue due to the demands of childrearing and fatigue is a major cause of lack of sex drive for women.
Some medications can have the side effect of lowering your sex drive. In particular, high blood pressure medications and antidepressants are known to affect libido.
Hypo-Thyroidism which is when your thyroid gland is not producing enough hormones, can cause lack of libido and exhaustion among other symptoms.

The Major Psychological Causes for Decreased Libido

Depression

Premenstrual Syndrome(PMS)
The majority of women are familiar with the term PMS. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a complex of symptoms that occur with greatest severity 5-11 days prior to the onset of your menstrual period. In most cases, the symptoms abate within 1-2 days of the onset of the period. The incidence of PMS is reported to be between 20-90% of women, with only about 20% having symptoms severe enough to limit daily functioning. PMS occurs most frequently in women between the ages of 30-40 years. Symptoms of PMS include the following:

Irritability

Depression

Crying Spells

Mood Swings

Sleep Disturbance

Appetite Changes

Changes in Libido

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) differs from PMS in that symptoms markedly impair one's ability to work or attend school, or conduct usual social activities. This disorder requires medical attention from a psychiatric specialist. If you feel that your symptoms are severe, you should be evaluated accordingly.

Treatment of PMS is aimed at reduction of symptoms. Conservative approaches include the following:

Stress Reduction:

Symptom Diary:

Diet:

Vitamin Supplementation:

Herbal and other therapies: