A lot of the taboo around women’s health, especially sexual health and sexuality, has been lessened over the past few decades. However, it’s far from being a topic that’s discussed as freely and often as it should. A lot of women (and men, for that matter) are uninformed of matters of women’s health because they weren’t taught about it, or they might not look into it because of societal pressures that keep these conversations on the down-low. However, it’s important to talk, and check-up, on these aspects of your sexual health.
Source - Pixabay License
Education for the younger women amongst us
First of all, it’s important for us all to make sure that we know the basics of our anatomy and how to keep it in good condition. Sex education has become a lot better in schools over the past generation for most people, but if you want to make sure that any young women in the family understand their own bodies, then you might want to look at some of the guides available for matters like women’s reproductive anatomy at sites like All About Fertility.
Vital checks for your reproductive health
The definition of sexual health usually covers the parts of your body that are components of sex and reproduction. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to be sexually active in order to make sure that you’re keeping an eye on things. Cervical cancer is a condition that can affect women of any age, regardless of how sexually active they are. It affects many women but is, thankfully, one of the most treatable forms of cancer when it’s diagnosed. That’s why you should talk to your gynecologist about arranging for a pap smear, and find out how often you should get checked up. It’s the most effective way to catch it early, as well as to check on your general reproductive health down there.
The risk of HPV
HPV, which is short for human papillomavirus, is usually very closely linked to pap smear tests, and often the test for it is carried out alongside that exam. HPV is one of the leading causes of cervical cancer and can cause a host of other problems besides, including issues that can affect a woman’s fertility. Aside from checking for HPV, however, sexual health clinics like CBD Medical can also offer vaccines for the prevention of HPV. These series of vaccines are recommended for just about every woman that is able to take them, especially for those that are sexually active. Both sexes can carry HPV, and also increase the risk of oral cancer, but the risks are both more numerous and often more dangerous for women.
Source - Pixabay License
Learning more about your contraceptive options
One of the aspects of sexual health that should be reinforced is the consequences of unsafe sex. When it comes to preventing the transmission of STIs, condoms are the best option that you have out there. However, there are many types of contraception that can be used to prevent pregnancy, which is another risk that a lot of people perhaps aren’t doing enough to manage. The burden should not be solely on the woman to choose a method of contraception by any means, but you should be equipped and prepared with knowledge from websites like CHOICE that can help you better understand how different forms of contraception work and, just as importantly, how they can affect your body and health in general.
About STIs
All too often, the conversation around sexually transmitted diseases is to use them as a cautionary tale to keep people, especially younger people, from having sex. While, yes, STIs are best avoided as much as possible, people still need to be informed about the different types of STIs, as well as the various treatments available for them. The conversation doesn’t end at getting tested and trying to prevent them. STIs are much more common than many people assume and, as such, the prognosis attached to them and an understanding of the different treatments available, should be part of the conversation as well, and sites like MedicinePlus have plenty of information on how different STIs are diagnoses, treated, and managed through medication.
The question of libido
If you’re looking to have an active and happy sex life, then anything that affects your libido might be of concern, but it’s not something that we often talk about. Treating changes in your libido can be difficult because it can be affected by a wide range of physical and mental health changes, not to mention the changes that come as we age, as well. However, there are options for women to help improve a low sex drive if it’s desired. In fact, it’s typically known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and being taken more seriously by doctors. Talking to your doctor can help you get a more specific look at the causes and potential treatments, but there is plenty of information on lifestyle changes that may help as well.
Source - Pixabay License
The undersold side of sexual health
When we talk about sexual health, we do talk a lot about the potential consequences of sex, including unwanted pregnancies and STIs. However, the side of sexual health that is often underrepresented, if not outright ignored, is that of the health benefits of a healthy and active sexual lifestyle. Sex is good for you for a variety of reasons. Aside from the release of happy neurotransmitters and general improvements of mood, which should be expected, there are studies that have shown that sex can reduce symptoms of stress, can reduce the risk of cancer (so long as you’re being safe), and can even play a role in preventing heart disease. Unsafe sex can come fraught with risk, but that doesn’t mean that we should flat-out ignore the benefits of the act, either.
Your sexual health is all your own business. But hopefully, the points above give you a reminder of some aspect you might want to check up on or help you find the solutions that you may not have known were out there.
*This is a collaborative post
