What is contraception? Birth control pills regulate hormones to prevent pregnancy, but behavioral methods rely on timing and changes to sexual behavior. Contraception, commonly known as birth control, is the adoption of preventive measures to avoid pregnancy. Contraception techniques prevent the sperm from fertilizing the egg (ovum) and forming a fetus in the uterus. So-called...
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) facts* Readers Comments 5 Share Your Story Picture of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) *Pelvic inflammatory facts medical author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection and inflammation of a woman's pelvic organs including the uterus (womb), Fallopian tubes (tubes), ovaries, and cervix. PID is very common and...
What is syphilis? Illustration of a syphilis bacterium. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by an infection with bacteria known as Treponema pallidum. Like other STDs, syphilis can be spread by any type of sexual contact. Syphilis can also be spread from an infected mother to the fetus during pregnancy or to the...
Introduction to the sexual response cycle Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story The sexual response cycle refers to the sequence of physical and emotional changes that occur as a person becomes sexually aroused and participates in sexually stimulating activities, including intercourse and masturbation. Knowing how your body responds during each phase of the cycle can...
The symptoms of STDs vary with the type of infection, but they commonly include fever, weakness, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. Depending on the type of infection, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) may present either soon after exposure, within a few days, or may take years to manifest. The symptoms of STDs vary with the...
Facts you should know about paraphilia Treatment of paraphilia typically incorporates therapy and medication. Paraphilias are emotional disorders defined as sexually arousing fantasies, urges, or behaviors that are recurrent, intense, occur over a period of at least 6 months, and cause significant distress or interfere with important areas of functioning. Except for masochism, medical professionals...
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women facts STDs may have different treatments in women. STDs are infections that are transmitted during any type of sexual contact. Many STDs in women do not cause specific symptoms. Common STDs in women include Chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, genital herpes, and the Zika virus. Antibiotic treatment can cure STDs caused...
A vacuum constriction device (VCD) is an external pump with a band on it that a man with erectile dysfunction can use to get and maintain an erection. The VCD consists of an acrylic cylinder with a pump that may be attached directly to the end of the penis. A constriction ring or band is...
There are two primary disorders that affect the male reproductive external organs. These include penis disorders and testicular disorders. Disorders of the penis and testes can affect a man's sexual functioning and fertility. What disorders affect the penis? Some disorders that affect the penis include priapism, Peyronie's disease , balanitis, phimosis, paraphimosis, and penile cancer...
What is gonorrhea? Doctors recommend regular screening to be sure you’re not infected, because not all cases of gonorrhea show symptoms. If your gonorrhea infection does display symptoms, they can show up as soon as 2 days to as long as 30 days after infection. Gonorrhea, sometimes referred to as “the clap,” is a sexually...