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HIV, Hivaids, mental health, Self-Care, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health, Sexually transmitted diseases, Stds
The Connection Between HIV and Mental Health in the Older Adult
Read More: The Connection Between HIV and Mental Health in the Older AdultMedically reviewed by Dr. Sharon D. Allison-Ottey
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Birth control, Birth control pills, Contraception, Family planning, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
Hormonal vs. Non-Hormonal Contraception: Whatโs the Difference?
Read More: Hormonal vs. Non-Hormonal Contraception: Whatโs the Difference?Erika Zar, 45, tried many different kinds of birth control before she settled on her current one. “Most of them seemed to amplify my mood shifts,” she said. The birth control pills that she tried lowered her sex drive and made her depression worse, and the vaginal ring made her so “ragey” that she only…
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Birth control, Birth control pills, Contraception, Family planning, Reproductive health, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Birth Control
Read More: Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Birth ControlEspaรฑol Medically reviewed by Dr. Sabrina SahniSabrina Sahni The best birth control option varies for each person. It’s important to consider factors such as your lifestyle, schedule, medical history and any medicines you take when you pick a birth control method. As these details change throughout your life, the best birth control option for you…
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The Science Behind Orgasms: Whatโs Going On When Youโre Getting It On
Read More: The Science Behind Orgasms: Whatโs Going On When Youโre Getting It OnDesign: Elizabeth Gething Medically reviewed by Dr. Heather Bartos
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Endometriosis, Fibroids, Menstrual period, Period, Reproductive health, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
Period Stigma & Health Risks
Read More: Period Stigma & Health RisksSix years ago, Nkem Osian noticed a dramatic change in her period. She began bleeding for two weeks at a time and producing painful clots the size of her fist. There was bleeding between periods and the amount of blood overall was unnerving: Osian was going through two pads an hour and sometimes bleeding through…
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Are Birth Control Pills Ruining Your Sex Life?
Read More: Are Birth Control Pills Ruining Your Sex Life?By Michelle Davin, Ph.D. The pill reduces blood levels of testosterone and free testosterone and increases SHBG โ all of which suppress sexual desire. Oral contraceptives are the birth control method of choice for many women because of its effectiveness and convenience. Physicians have prescribed the โpillโ for decades, yet, we still donโt fully understand…
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Anxiety, Depression, mental health, Orgasms, Pelvic health, Pelvic pain, Relationships, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
What Actually Happens in Sex Therapy?
Read More: What Actually Happens in Sex Therapy?What comes to mind when you hear the term “sex therapy”? For me, I picture a therapist sitting before a heterosexual couple in a darkened office. The people are visibly anxious, and the therapist is holding a dildo and a map of the female reproductive organs. “You put the penis here,” she says (in my…
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Clinically Speaking: Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About Periods
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About PeriodsMedically reviewed by Dr. Jessica Shepherd Half the world’s population get a period, but the stigma surrounding menstruation leaves many people feeling too ashamed or uncomfortable to talk freely about periods. As a result, symptoms like heavy bleeding may go undiscussed and undiagnosed, potentially causing serious health problems. How can we know what’s “normal” if…
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Bladder, incontinence, Obesity, Pelvic health, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health, Vaginal health
Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Vaginal Prolapse
Read More: Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About Vaginal ProlapseMedically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia It’s horrifying to think about, but your insides can sometimes bulge out through your vaginal opening. It’s called vaginal prolapse. And, although many women find it alarming and embarrassing, it’s more common than you probably think. More than one-third of U.S. women have some type of vaginal prolapse at…
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Yes, There Is Sex After Menopause
Read More: Yes, There Is Sex After MenopauseIn honor of Women’s Health Month, we’re exploring the importance of sexual health for women of all ages. Join HealthyWomen CEO Beth Battaglino, RN and certified sex therapist Emily Jamea, Ph.D., for a Q&A on all things related to sexual health on Instagram Live tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT. In spite of the fact that…
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Birth control, Birth control pills, Contraception, Orgasms, Relationships, Reproductive health, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
What Birth Control Is Right for You?
Read More: What Birth Control Is Right for You?For the best experience, please view in full screen mode. What Birth Control Is Right for You? Click here to for our interactive tool
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healthy aging, Menopause, Orgasms, Perimenopause, Relationships, Reproductive health, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
How to Have the Best Sex of Your Life After Menopause
Read More: How to Have the Best Sex of Your Life After MenopauseWhen Kathy Phillips approached menopause, she thought back to her mother’s experience with the transition. In Phillips’ memories, when her mother went through menopause, she began dressing old and actually became old. Phillips, 57, worried that she’d follow in her mother’s footsteps, but that wasn’t her experience. “It’s not that way at all. You can…
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Cardiovascular disease, Heart disease, Heart health, Orgasms, Relationships, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
Sexual Health and Your Heart
Read More: Sexual Health and Your HeartOne of the most difficult things for female patients to discuss with their cardiologist is their sexual health. It is one of the most commonly missed topics at a cardiology visit, but it is a concern for women living with heart disease and for their partners. Besides general embarrassment, generational values may get in the…
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Five Ways to Improve Your Sexual Wellness
Read More: Five Ways to Improve Your Sexual WellnessWhen we talk about health, we need to include sexual health, which plays a crucial role in our well-being. Unfortunately, the pandemic, which has impacted every aspect of our lives and is taking a serious toll on our mental health, is also encroaching on our sex lives. “Anything that negatively affects the individual or the…
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Breast cancer, Breast cancer survivor, Breast health, Real women real stories, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual dysfunction, Sexual health
How I Got My Sexual Groove Back After Surviving Breast Cancer
Read More: How I Got My Sexual Groove Back After Surviving Breast CancerThe call came on a perfectly ordinary evening. I picked up the phone and my doctor said, “I’m sorry. It’s breast cancer.” And for me and my husband, the “year of the sex drought” began. At the time, we’d been married for twenty-four years. As I went through chemotherapy, I lost my hair. I lost…
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Aging well, Ceo blog, healthy aging, Hormones, Menopause, mental health, Perimenopause, Sexual health
Menopause Goes Beyond Reproductive Issues
Read More: Menopause Goes Beyond Reproductive IssuesSmall stepsEvery week, I go running with a group of women. We’re all about the same age and over the years we’ve compared notes on everything from parenting to gardening. Lately, our conversations have turned to signs of perimenopause — who’s having hot flashes or trouble sleeping, when we had our last period and whether…
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Pelvic health, Pelvic pain, Real women real stories, Sex, Sex & relationships, Sexual dysfunction, Sexual health, Vaginismus
From Vaginismus to Pleasure Warrior
Read More: From Vaginismus to Pleasure WarriorIn one of Netflix’s hottest new shows, Unorthodox, a young woman named Esty cannot consummate her marriage for almost a year due to excruciating attempts at coitus. Eventually, she’s given a diagnosis of vaginismus, the condition of having overly tight and weak pelvic floor muscles. This show transported me back to the ’80s, when I…
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How to Rekindle Your Sexual Connection at Midlife
Read More: How to Rekindle Your Sexual Connection at MidlifeI recently interviewed Yana Tallon-Hicks for my story about sexual health in middle age. Tallon-Hicks is a relationship therapist, sex educator, and sex advice writer living in Western Massachusetts. We’re publishing the full interview below. The transcript has been edited for clarity and length. HealthyWomen: What are some common concerns that women have about their…
