Most of you may not know this but September 4th is annually observed as World Sexual Health Day. It is an awareness day managed by the World Health Organisation. In honour of that, we got in touch with Dr Rita Bakshi, the chairperson of International Fertility Centre in Green Park, New Delhi with an experience of around 30 years in gynaecological practice, to answer some important questions about sexual health and well being.
So Doctor, let’s start with the basics. Could you tell our readers what it means to maintain good sexual health?
Good health itself means no physical, mental or any other illness and that includes your intimate parts and sexual organs. So, to have good sexual health means you should be free from any infections, keep good hygiene and like every other part of your body is meant to be exercised, similarly, one should have frequent sex to exercise one’s sexual organs. Since that’s what keeps your muscles working and help maintain good sexual health.
What would you say are some basic steps through which people can maintain and improve their sexual health?
- First and foremost, one should learn that whenever you have discharge, whether it is foul-smelling, excessive or itchy, you should consult a doctor
- Second, if you are in a sexual relationship with more than one person, you must use protection. Unprotected sex, especially with multiple partners can lead to sexually transmitted diseases/infections
- Third, You should not be scared of the word STD or STI because once you are in intimate contact with another person, organisms from one person will pass on to the other. The most common are fungal and trichomonal. These are very frequently passed to one another so the best option would be to consult a doctor if you notice anything off
- Also, the best practice is to properly wash and dry yourself after every urination and defecation
In the case of premarital sex, what kind of precautions should youngsters take to ensure there are no infections and other complications?
They should always, and I stress the word ‘always’, use protection. Protection in the sense of a condom. A condom should be worn properly and in time. Sometimes people tend to start the act then in between put on the condom, but it is important to understand that the pre-fluid also can cause infections/pregnancy. So use proper protection before you start the act. Also, in the case of unprotected sex, you can use an emergency contraceptive pill to avoid a pregnancy. But this should not become a habit.
In our country especially, sex is a taboo. But when would you say is the right time to go for a sexual health check-up? A lot of unmarried people may avoid it because of the stigma attached to it.
Once you become an adult i.e., 18 years old and if you are indulging in sexual behaviour at that age, I think that is the right time for a health check-up. Nowadays we even have vaccines to protect you against STD’s. So one should be vaccinated before the exposure. Once you reach the age, you must have an initial checkup so as to make sure everything is normal. Also, if you have multiple partners then it is best to get a blood test and local examination once every few months.
Also, for women, menopause comes with its own set of problems. How should women maintain sexual health if they are menopausal?
The most important thing is the vaginal atrophy which is the thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls. So one should use a lubricant. Another thing is that there are a lot of tablets which increase libido, so one can make use of that. You can also go for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) which is a therapy used to treat symptoms associated with female menopause.
A lot of women may not want to constantly be on contraceptive pills. What other healthy alternatives do they have?
Condoms! First and foremost, one must make use of condoms. Please try and avoid contraceptive pills. They are only and only meant for emergencies, not for routine use. And even if you are using birth control pills, they are not protecting you from STI’s. So the only thing that works best is a condom!
Does diet, alcohol and smoking play any role in the quality of our sexual health?
It definitely does in both ways in the sense that it can inhibit and excite. I know of couples who have alcohol every day and forget to have sex. On the other hand, there are women who have taken alcohol and get taken advantage of. So, they both have a big role to play as far as the health of your eggs and sperms are also concerned, along with the libido. So it is important to restrict to it to moderate amounts since it’s impossible to completely avoid it in today’s era and age.
Any other things one should keep in mind to keep good sexual health?
In order to maintain good sexual health one should exercise their sexual organs and go for routine blood tests in order to avoid any infections and diseases etc.
Featured Image Source: Teen Talk
