Sexual Health

Sexually transmitted infections are one part of sexual health, but that’s not all! Any aspect of health or healthcare that is related to sex and reproduction is about sexual health: menstruation, common infections like yeast or bacterial infections, birth control and abortion, health conditions like endometriosis, PCOS or phimosis, vaccinations, pain with sex, safer sex and other preventative sexual health practices and yep, STIs, too.

a couple o' peaches

Articles and Advice in this area:

Advice
  • Sarah Riley

While your risks for STI transmission may be lesser if both of you have not ever been sexually active in any way, it does not totally negate the risk. Not being “sexually involved” can mean lots of things for different people. Some people might only consider “sexually involved” to mean having…

Advice
  • Sarah Riley

In terms of your current lateness, keep in mind that you won’t have your withdrawl bleed (you don’t have real “periods” when you’re on hormonal birth control because you are not ovulating) at the exact time that you had it before you were on the birth control. Your cycles will probably be around 28…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

The most obvious culprits for persistent bleeding following intercourse would be: cervicitis ( an inflammation of your cervix) the sexually transmitted infections chlamydia or gonorrhea vaginal dryness or trauma/injury or uterine fibroids If you’re having sex using only the pill, the STIs would be…

Advice
  • Sarah Riley

The short answer is that yes, you should always use a condom in order to be as safe as possible. The longer answer is that while being a “virgin” (and remember, since that’s a social construction rather than a medical one, it is defined differently by different people) may reduce your risk, it does…

Advice
  • Sarah Riley

Your pills should be fully effective beginning at the start of your new pack. Typically, problems with pills only affect that particular cycle (unless the problem itself carries over into the next pack). So as long as you don’t have any problems during your next cycle, you should be well protected…

Advice
  • Sarah Riley

It is important to understand that the each pill in your packet has basically enough hormones for 24 hours. When you’re late or miss one, your hormone levels can drop. So then what ends up happening is that when you take the late (or missed) pill and then take your next one at what is supposed to be…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

In most areas of the world, if you’re looking for daily birth control pills to take to prevent pregnancy, they have many brands, types and names, but they also are not usually avilable for purchase over the counter without a prescription. To be put on the birth control pill, you’ll need to see your…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

It is pretty normal to be a bit drier just after menstruation, and tampons also rob you of even more vaginal moisture. While you may be highly aroused, that doesn’t always mean plenty of natrual lubrication. If you aren’t using lubricant with the sex that you’re having, that’s the very first thing I…

Advice
  • Susie Tang

Short answer: YES. You NEVER reuse a condom. NEVER. Even if you wash it really thoroughly, you cannot use it again. (If, by chance, by “it” you mean his penis, washing the penis isn’t a method of birth control either, and will not prevent pregnancy.) And if you take the step of having sex a second…

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

Since there are so many different pill brands, so much information to sort through, and since with adolescents and/or young adults information on some aspects can vary slightly, and we get so many questions about the pill, it seems it’s high time to give the most basic rundown I can speaking to…