Relationship, sex news
1:36 PM CDT, October 18, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Women still prefer short-acting contraceptives
Despite a public health initiative to educate women about the benefits of long-term, reversible contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices, most women still prefer permanent or short-acting methods, according to research presented Tuesday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
12:09 AM CDT, October 18, 2011
Research suggests sperm quality in men decreases with age
New research suggests the age of the father does matter when couples are trying to get pregnant. Colorado researchers reveal that men, like women, may have a biological clock. Research conducted by the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine and the National Foundation for Fertility Research found that the quality of a man's sperm may decline mid-life.
4:25 PM CDT, October 17, 2011
HPV test more sensitive than Pap, questions remain
Testing women for human papillomavirus (HPV) may catch more pre-cancerous growths than standard cervical cancer screening does -- but more evidence is needed before the newer tests become routine, a study published Monday concludes.
3:10 PM CDT, October 13, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
More love of money, more problems for materialistic couples
Couples who rank money and things as important might be worse off in their relationships than those who aren't as materialistic, a study finds.
2:47 PM CDT, October 13, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Older women's sex lives: Just fine, thanks
Sexual desire disorder in women is supposedly a significant problem in the United States, according to some studies and various companies that market products designed to improve women's sex lives. But a large study published this week finds that older women are mostly quite satisfied with their sexual health. If they have a problem, it's because they lack a partner or would like to have more sex, not less.
2:20 PM CDT, October 13, 2011
No sex please, we're British and over 60
An event organized by British city to school its older residents in the arts of safe sex has been canceled due to lack of interest.
2:09 PM CDT, October 11, 2011
Can herbal supplements improve her sex drive?
My fiance has never really had a sex drive. She would like to know what kind of herbal supplement she can take to help increase her sex drive. When we do things, everything is great, but she just doesn't really ever have the desire to do things.
2:26 PM CDT, October 4, 2011
Can physical ailments prohibit ability to have orgasms?
My girlfriend is 23, and I am a few years older. We have sex quite often, but she is unable to have an orgasm. I have tried everything! I spend time playing with her, focused solely on her — this can go on for hours with no orgasm. She said that she's never had an orgasm, and I feel like she's being cheated out of something great. I also feel like I can't satisfy her. Is this normal?
2:42 PM CDT, September 27, 2011
New husband's porn habit leaves wife out in the cold
My husband and I have been married a little over a year. The sex was amazing before we were married, and now it's maybe once a week. What really bothers me is that he has been watching porn before we have sex and sometimes instead of being with me. He knows it bothers me. I've offered to watch it with him, I've tried to get him to do new things, I've bought books, lingerie, all sorts of stuff, and nothing can get him interested. It hurts, and I don't know what to do.
6:16 PM CDT, September 25, 2011
More youngsters having unsafe sex: global study
Young people across the globe are having more unprotected sex and know less about effective contraception options, a multinational survey revealed on Monday.
4:08 PM CDT, September 24, 2011
HIV/AIDS population aging
When Malcolm Coley was diagnosed with HIV, he began preparing to die.
2:41 PM CDT, September 20, 2011
Can too much of a good thing affect his libido?
Q: I'm 26 and have been dating my girlfriend for about three weeks. She's really into sex, and we tend to have a lot of it. I am having trouble keeping up with her. Before I met her, my experience was pretty limited — in fact, I'd had sex four times.
10:46 AM CDT, September 20, 2011
FDA: Qualitest recalls birth control pills
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling several lots of birth control pills because of a packaging error that could leave women at risk for unplanned pregnancy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
September 19, 2011
Dawn Turner Trice: For HIV counselor, prevention begins with self-esteem
Ten years ago, when Evany Turk's doctor entered an examination room to tell her that she'd tested positive for HIV, she was devastated. She said she thought her life was over. Her plan was to leave her doctor's Hyde Park office and drive her car into the brick wall of a bank across the street.
3:21 PM CDT, September 14, 2011
Smokers don't make better lovers
Lighting up could be slowing you down in the bedroom, suggests a new study.
September 14, 2011
Why can't some women get an orgasm?
Q: My girlfriend of four years has not experienced sex with anyone but me. She is in her senior year of college, and right now we show no signs of breaking up anytime soon. We have discussed getting married eventually, and we've talked about the fact that she may never be with anyone else if we do.
10:24 AM CDT, September 13, 2011
IUDs almost halve risk of cervical cancer: study
Contrary to popular belief, intrauterine contraceptive devices might actually protect women against developing cervical cancer even though they don't stop the infection that commonly leads to the disease, according to the results of an international study.
9:15 AM CDT, September 13, 2011
Fatherhood lowers testosterone in men, study finds
Fatherhood lowers testosterone levels, U.S. researchers said they have confirmed, making it easier for men to be involved in raising children.
9:36 PM CDT, September 12, 2011
Impotence may point to heart problems
Failing erections may be a harbinger of heart disease in some men, according to a review of a number of studies — but heart-healthy lifestyle changes or cholesterol-lowering drugs could have a positive impact on men's sexual health.
4:35 PM CDT, September 12, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular disease link is studied
A healthier lifestyle may go a long way in reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction, a study finds, while another paper discovers that men who have the condition may also have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
September 12, 2011
The Healthy Skeptic: Products make testosterone claims
Age is just a number. But for men, that number says a lot about what's going on in their bodies. Starting at about age 30, men start producing less testosterone, the hormone that helps spark sex drive, build muscle and stoke energy, ambition and aggression. In short, it helps men feel manly.
12:50 PM CDT, September 8, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Two doses — instead of three — might suffice for HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine, approved in 2006, requires three shots over a six-month period -- a regimen that is inconvenient and costly. But a new study shows a two-dose vaccine may work as well.
2:46 PM CDT, September 6, 2011
Sex on a first date carries risks, whatever your age
I'm in my mid-40s. I would love to be in a long-term relationship again someday after being divorced for five years after a 16-year marriage. What is a simple and effective rule of thumb for dating and sex? If there is an attraction and you intuitively know there is a connection, is it OK to have sex and be intimate on the first date?
September 7, 2011
HPV vaccination rates low nationwide
Because most cervical cancer cases and some less common malignancies are caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, area physicians and public health experts were thrilled when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2006 approved the first vaccine to prevent HPV.
September 2, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
The timing and tempo of puberty affect behavior
For something as monumental as puberty — the period of rapid physical growth that transforms a child's body into an adult's — not much is known about the intricacies of pubertal development and how it affects kids' behavior.
10:27 AM CDT, September 2, 2011
Male circumcision rates at hospitals dip
The number of baby boys getting circumcised in hospitals has dropped slightly in the past decade, health experts said. Rates of circumcision fell to 54.7 percent in 2010 from 58.4 percent in 2001.
2:14 PM CDT, August 30, 2011
Should he be honest about his sexual inexperience?
I am a 41-year-old straight virgin guy hoping to conquer social anxiety and depression, which have led to isolation and difficulties forming intimacy in my life. I also am concerned about the advice my friends give me to lie about my situation because such an old virgin likely would scare off any woman I want to be intimate with.
7:40 PM CDT, August 26, 2011
New mothers choose 'tied tubes' over IUDs
Very few women choose to get an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted soon after giving birth, even though it's one of the most effective methods of long-term contraception, according to a new study.
4:17 PM CDT, August 26, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
More teens getting HPV vaccines, but not enough, CDC reports
A report released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted with some alarm that many parents still shun another recommended vaccine: the three-shot series that protects against human papilloma virus (HPV), a widespread sexually transmitted virus, some types of which can cause cervical cancer.
August 24, 2011
Boredom in the bedroom can lead to bigger problems
Q: I have been in a relationship with the man I love for four years. At this point in our relationship, the sex has become somewhat boring, partially because I am tired whenever he wants to and also because during the act my mind drifts off to other things, like chores that need to be done and how I am going to lose weight.
5:58 PM CDT, August 22, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Marriage and divorce can pack on the pounds
Marriage may have an effect on weight -- so can divorce, a study finds.
10:33 AM CDT, August 19, 2011
Scientists find how 'sticky' egg captures sperm
Scientists have uncovered exactly how a human egg captures an incoming sperm to begin the process of fertilization and say their discovery could in future help couples who suffer from infertility.
2:13 PM CDT, August 16, 2011
Couples need to accept each other's sexual pace
Q: I have been with my woman for 11 years, and from the beginning it has taken me longer to orgasm. I have talked with her from the start about this because it's been like this for me since I began my sexual life. Every woman I've been with has had multiples before I have mine. My woman will have three or four orgasms before mine, and I really like watching and feeling her pleasure.
5:34 PM CDT, August 11, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Camille Donatacci implies hands, feet linked to penis length. Not so -- but fingers may be
All's fair in love and divorce. Kelsey Grammer's ex-wife Camille Donatacci may have implied that the "Cheers" star was not well endowed. Her comment about hands and feet aren't accurate though. It's actually the fingers that may give the size away.
August 10, 2011
Girlfriend's personal issues interfering with their sex life
Q: I'm in a romantic relationship with a wonderful, beautiful woman, whom I love deeply. She suffers from anxiety, which can become particularly bad in any intimate situation, whether emotional or physical. We have excellent communication; we trust each other deeply; and we are very much in love. Despite these things, she often finds that her body will not respond to her sexual desire.
3:14 PM CDT, August 8, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
A little weight loss may help obese men improve sexual health
Obese men who want to improve their sexual health might have another solution besides their erectile dysfunction drugs. A study finds that overweight men who lost just 5% of their weight over eight weeks saw improvements in erectile dysfunction, sexual desire and urinary tract symptoms.
2:15 PM CDT, August 5, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Sperm made from stem cells could aid men with fertility problems
If you know just one thing about embryonic stem cells, it’s probably that they have the potential to grow into any type of cell in the body. That, of course, is why scientists find them so valuable.
1:49 PM CDT, August 2, 2011
Boyfriend's physical limitations pose obstacle to new love
Q: I am a 55-year-old divorced woman in a serious relationship with a great guy. He is widowed and has been single for 15 years. He and I have a great friendship and a loving relationship. There is one problem: He is a diabetic and has erectile dysfunction due to neuropathy. Other than that, he is the best guy I have ever met. I have fallen in love with this man and want to have a future with him. I need some ideas that do not include surgery for him.
4:43 PM CDT, August 1, 2011
Boys who masturbate likelier to have safe sex?
Researchers found 86 percent of boys who said they'd worn a condom last time they had sex also reported masturbating over the past year, compared to only 44 percent of boys who didn't masturbate.
July 29, 2011
Live Health Chat
How much sex is in your marriage?
Can pornography be part of a healthy married sex life? What about romance novels? Author and marriage counselor Frederick Mondin considered those questions and more during a live chat with readers and Morning Call health reporter Milton Carrero about health and romance in marriage.
July 27, 2011
The key to good sex: Start with a loving relationship
I'm new at sex, and I don't know what it feels like to orgasm. How do I know if I'm doing something right, or if I'm messing something up? I'm really confused, and I asked my parents and they were sort of helpful, but they also told me to ask you. In general, what's one way to turn on a guy?
July 25, 2011
Rose-colored glasses may help love last
Psychologists have long known that new love can be blind and new lovers delusional. Research has shown that newlyweds exaggerate their partner's good qualities, forget the bad ones, rate their own relationship with annoying superiority and so on.
4:04 PM CDT, July 22, 2011
Take-home chlamydia tests tied to more screening
Women at risk for chlamydia infections are more likely to get tested if they can do it at home instead of going to a clinic, suggests new research.
July 13, 2011
Any way to put their passion on a fast track?
Q: I've recently entered into a relationship. I'm a 21-year-old female, and my partner is a few years older. This is the first actual relationship for both of us, and things are starting to become more physical.
1:33 PM CDT, July 4, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: ODDITIES, MUSINGS AND NEWS FROM THE HEALTH WORLD
Judging penis size by comparing index, ring fingers
Penis length cannot be determined by how big his hands or feet are -- those and other supposed indicators have been widely discredited for years. But now a team of Korean researchers has produced what may be a more reliable guide: the ratio of the length of his index finger to that of his ring finger. The lower that ratio, the longer the penis may be, the researchers wrote Monday in the Asian Journal of Andrology.
Preventing pubic lice, 'crabs'
This gallery clarifies what's true and what's not about myths dealing with how to get crabs. Is the toilet seat myth correct? Can lice travel from person to person from clothes? How long do they live?
12:18 PM CDT, June 25, 2011
Brady Bunch mom got crabs in affair with NY mayor
This would have made an interesting episode of "The Brady Bunch."
June 21, 2011
Men, women react differently to smiles
Guys, want to look sexy and get the girl? Don't smile too much. Look brooding, or show a bit of shame instead. Women, ignore that advice.
10:40 AM CDT, June 15, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: ODDITIES, MUSINGS AND NEWS FROM THE HEALTH WORLD
Is sex bad for the heart in older men . . . or good?
Men with cardiovascular disease often wonder whether sexual activity might be dangerous for them, potentially triggering a heart attack in the midst of the excitement, or whether the exercise might actually be good for the heart. A new review by the Harvard Men's Health Watch indicates that, as exercise, sex is probably not very helpful, but it is also most likely not very dangerous either.
1:40 PM CDT, May 25, 2011
Booster Shots: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Contraceptives that are long-term and reversible are in demand
Contraceptives such as IUDs and implants are finally being embraced by U.S. women after many years of doubts and controversy.
6:00 PM CDT, May 5, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Sex and coffee may raise risk of brain hemorrhage in some people
The rupture of a brain aneurysm is a relatively rare event but, as it causes bleeding in the brain, that event is a potentially devastating one. Now researchers have attempted to identify possible triggers for such ruptures, also known as hemorrhagic strokes, finding that sex, coffee and losing one’s temper -- among other things -- may raise the risk.
May 2, 2011
In Practice
When sex drive brakes to a stop
Think back to things you used to like that now hold no appeal to you. It could be playing with toy soldiers or marbles, or launching yourself off a rope swing on a hot summer's day. (OK, that last one still sounds good, even to this half-centenarian.)
May 2, 2011
Midlife
Midlife: Drop in testosterone can affect sexual desire in men and women
A dizzying number of factors can conspire against sexual desire as midlife approaches: depression, medications, illness, career worries, financial pressures, marriage troubles, young children in the home (or an empty nest), the sense that life is half over … and then there's testosterone.
3:40 PM CDT, April 27, 2011
More U.S. women using 'morning-after' pill
More U.S. women seem to be using the "morning-after" pill now that the emergency contraceptive is available over-the-counter, a new study finds.
12:00 PM CDT, May 3, 2011
Live health chat
Older men's sexual health
Join us at noon CT (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) on Tuesday, May 3, to chat about older men's sexual health. Moderator: Judy Graham. Panelists: Dr. Laurence Levine and Dr. Andy McCullough.
April 20, 2011
Grandsons may be affected by old pregnancy drug
(Reuters Health) - Four decades after doctors realized that a drug called DES - used to prevent pregnancy complications - had devastating consequences for babies, a new study finds those effects may be reverberating into the third generation.
April 20, 2011
Gallbladder risk no higher with newer 'pill'
(Reuters Health) - Despite concerns that one of the newer forms of birth control pill might carry a higher risk of gallbladder disease, a new study suggests that is not the case.
April 20, 2011
Report faults porn firms for not providing information to public health agencies
A report examining an HIV scare that temporarily shut production in the adult film industry faulted production companies for not providing information to public health authorities.
April 16, 2011
Seniors' sex lives are up — and so are STD rates
Across the nation, and especially in the Sunshine State, the free-love generation is continuing to enjoy an active — if not always healthy — sex life.
11:54 AM CDT, April 12, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Genital herpes can be transmitted even between outbreaks
Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease, affecting about 16% of U.S. adults. A lot of people, however, don't have outbreaks of painful blisters and don't know they have the infection. Others know they have herpes but believe they can't transmit it to a sexual partner unless they're experiencing symptoms.
12:00 PM CDT, April 5, 2011
Live health chat
Live chat: Older women's sexual health
This chat was at noon CT (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) on Tuesday, April 5. It was about older women's sexual health. Moderator: Tribune reporter Judy Graham. Panelists: Dr. Lauren Streicher and Sheryl Kingsberg.
1:27 PM CDT, March 23, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Most Americans have regrets about romance, study finds
Regrets? Had a few? Strains of "My Way" notwithstanding, Americans do have more than a few regrets -- and they are primarily about love. Family relations, education and career followed for the what-could-have-been crowd, a new study says.
8:28 PM CDT, March 18, 2011
Does this birth control pill make me look fat?
Like a lot of young women, Kelsey Webb, 25, has been off and on birth control pills since she was 18. Every time she started taking them, she gained 5 to 10 pounds. "My normal weight is around 125 pounds. On the pill, I would get up to 130 or 135," says Webb, who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
March 14, 2011
Pregnancy myths
Once a woman becomes visibly pregnant, it isn't long before she's being asked extremely personal questions by complete strangers:
March 10, 2011
Why humans have big brains but no whiskers or penis spines
Why are we different from other creatures? After all, our genomes are 95% or more identical to that of chimps. For all the genome-busting that's gone on in recent years -- human genomes, chimp genomes, mouse genomes, platypus genomes -- scientists in large part don't know the answer to these kinds of questions.
March 4, 2011
Key genital measurement linked to male fertility
The dimension in question is not penis or testicle size, but a measurement known as anogenital distance, or AGD.
February 16, 2011
It's a boy: Are you having him circumcised?
For decades, American parents were on circumcision autopilot. Conventional wisdom held that the foreskin-free penis was healthier and cleaner. Everyone was doing it, so everyone had it done.
February 11, 2010
Sex isn't just fun, it's healthy
Want a simple way to increase your longevity? Try sex. It's one of the most fun things we humans can do. But first of all, safe sex - or more accurately, "safer sex" - is using techniques and products to reduce the risk of infection or pregnancies from intercourse.
Sex, relationships survey: Men versus women
Men versus women. Sex versus abstinence. Single versus relationship. Condoms versus unprotected sex. Sexual relationships for youths versus grown-ups. Find out a few survey highlights about how men and women view sex and relationships.
Pap smear test guide
It's Women's History Month and Cancer Awareness Month, so this is as good a time as any to find out the how's and why's of getting a pap smear test.
Sex education from lyrics, musicians
Music might not be the first place you refer to for safe sex education, but there are some artists who include sex ed for the bed. Do you think more artists should take a stand for sex education?
Parents' guide to having the sex talk
According to CDC, "All 50 states and the District of Columbia explicitly allow minors to consent for their own health services for STDs. No state requires parental consent for STD care or requires that providers notify parents that an adolescent minor has received STD services, except in limited or unusual circumstances."
HPV: Most common STI for over 50 percent
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is so common that at least 50 percent of sexually active men and women get the STI at some point in their lives.
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