Healthy Sexy and Wise - July 2005

Volume 3, Issue 3, 2005

Editors Note

If you would like future issues of Healthy Sexy & Wise emailed to you Contact Us

• FPWA events - Sexpo
• Seek help for painful periods
• Frequently asked sexual health questions
• Reminder to women to be breast aware
• New FPWA publications
• Book reviews

Please feel free to circulate and distribute this newsletter to anyone you know that may benefit from the information. They can go on the mailing list by emailing me their details.

If you have any suggestions, ideas or comments about the newsletter, you can email me – be sure to let me know if there are any topics you would like to see covered in the future. The next edition of Healthy Sexy & Wise will be out in October.

Rebecca Smith
Editor

FPWA events ~ Sexpo

In conjunction with the WA AIDS Council, FPWA held a stall at this year’s Sexpo event in May.

Over the four-day expo at the Perth Convention Centre, FPWA distributed free condoms and safe sex information to over 550 people, encouraging all sexually active people to practise safe sex.

While most Sexpo exhibitors had a lighted-hearted approach to the event, FPWA's message was more serious, wanting people to think about the consequences of having unprotected sex and reminding them that safe sex doesn’t have to be less pleasurable – it’s all about being creative when it comes to introducing condoms, dams and lubricant into the bedroom.

Seek help for painful periods

by Dr Angela Cooney

Many women experiencing period pain or pain during intercourse don’t seek medical help as they think it’s normal. What they don’t realise is that there are a variety of conditions which could be responsible, and treatments are available.

Most period pain is annoying but harmless. Often there is a family history of painful periods, and the periods have been the same since the woman was a teenager. In this case it is very unlikely that anything sinister is happening, but also a woman shouldn’t feel that she has to put up with what can be a very difficult problem. There are many effective treatments for painful or heavy periods.

However there are some important conditions that may be related to period pain, especially pain that develops suddenly or gets worse with time.

Endometriosis is a common gynaecological condition which affects many women at some stage in their lives. This is a condition where the tissue which lines the uterus - the endometrium - is found in locations outside the uterus, such as on the ovaries, bowel, pelvic ligaments and bladder.

Endometriosis can affect women of all ages prior to menopause. Some women with endometriosis experience many symptoms, while others have none. Pain may be felt before or during periods, during or after sex, with bowel movements or when urinating.

The only way to firmly diagnose endometriosis is through a minor surgical procedure called a laparoscopy. Treatment can include drugs, including taking the contraceptive pill continuously to avoid having a painful period, natural therapies, or surgery. The cause of endometriosis is unknown, but research suggests it may be hereditary, with women who have an immediate family member with endometriosis more likely to get it themselves.

Ovarian cysts are another condition found in women during their reproductive years, though are uncommon in women using the contraceptive pill. Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs, similar to blisters, found on the ovaries. Most of the time they are harmless and disappear on their own. When these cysts grow large however, they may cause feelings of pressure, fullness or discomfort.

Women can have one or many cysts, which can vary in size from as small as a pea to the size of a grapefruit. While women with larger ovarian cysts often have no symptoms, symptoms can include a dull ache or a sense of fullness or pressure in the abdomen, pain during intercourse or irregular or unusually painful periods.

Ovarian cysts are usually diagnosed by an ultrasound, during which the doctor is able to check the size and location of any cysts.

Another cause of unusually heavy or painful periods, or bleeding at unusual times in the cycle, are sexually transmissible infections such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea. These infections can also cause unusual vaginal discharge or pain during sex.

Women experiencing pain during intercourse or severe period pain should see a doctor straight away. Vaginal pain during intercourse usually means an infection such as thrush or herpes, a small tear, or a lack of lubrication, while abdominal or deep pelvic pain suggests infection of the tubes with gonorrhoea or chlamydia, or the possibility of endometriosis. If left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhoea can damage the Fallopian tubes and affect fertility.

Frequently asked sexual health questions

I often skip my period by missing the inactive tablets in my Pill packet. Is it safe to continue doing this or should I let my body have a period every once in awhile to give it a “break”?

Research done in the early ‘90s confirmed that it is safe for women to take the hormone pills in their pill packet continuously and miss the non-active sugar pills altogether if they want to skip a period. It is recommended however, that women have a period every three to four months, as no-one knows if it is safe to go for years without a break, since it hasn’t been studied.

Some women like having a monthly bleed to reassure them that they are not pregnant, but many women prefer not to have one at all. It is quite safe to manipulate pill cycles - after all, the periods women have on the Pill are completely artificial and the body doesn’t really care if it has a fake period every 4 weeks, or every 12 weeks. Some women start to feel a bit bloated after a few weeks, or will start to spot bleed, so if this happens they will be more comfortable having a break. The only thing that women need to be cautious of is if they are taking a triphasic pill, where there are three different strengths of hormone pills in the one packet. It is more difficult to miss periods on these pills, and it is best that women talk to a doctor about how to do this. Monophasic pills, which are the same strength on each day, are much easier to skip periods with – women just keep on taking them until they decide they want a break, at which time they stop.

Sometimes I bleed after sex. Should I be worried?
Bleeding during or after sex can happen to women sometimes, and usually it is not caused by anything sinister. Sometimes there is a small tear in the vaginal opening, or a prominent blood vessel on the cervix that can get knocked and bleed during sex, but it is important to check for the uncommon but very significant causes, such as an early cancer of the cervix or an infection of the cervix with chlamydia or gonorrhoea. Unexplained bleeding should be discussed with a doctor, who may recommend you be assessed by swabbing for infections, and possibly a colposcopy. Just having a normal Pap smear is not enough - more assessment is needed.

Click here for more answers to frequently asked sexual health questions.

For confidential answers to your sexual health queries, phone the Sexual Health Helpline on 9227 6178 or freecall 1800 198 205 (country callers), or Contact Us.

Reminder to women to be breast aware

There is no standard shape or size for breasts, and every set is different. It is normal for breasts to change in size and shape at various times in your life - menstruation, pregnancy, age and weight changes can all alter the shape and size of a woman’s breasts.

It’s important for all women to be aware of their breasts and know their look and feel – by becoming familiar with your breasts, you are more likely to notice any abnormal changes and be able to get them checked promptly.

Use a well-lit mirror to look for changes, and from time to time feel your breasts with your hands (some women prefer to do it after their menstrual period when their breasts are less lumpy and tender). There isn’t any special method you need to use – just look at and feel your breasts when you’re showering or dressing. Remember that breast tissue extends from your collarbone to your bra line and around your armpits. Picture courtesy http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk

Things to look for include:
A lump or thickening in the breast
Any sudden change in breast size or shape
Changes to the skin of the breast, such as dimpling or a rash Persistent or unusual pain
Discharge from the nipple

If you notice any of these changes, see a doctor immediately. Remember – breast pain or lumps in the breast rarely mean you have cancer, and are commonly caused by things like hormonal changes, weight gain and bra problems.

Many women who notice a change in their breast want to have a mammogram screening (a mammogram is an x-ray of the breast tissue which can detect breast abnormalities that you or your doctor may not be able to feel by hand). Despite popular belief, a mammogram isn’t always the way to detect breast cancer.

It is recommended that women have a mammogram every two years from the age of 50, as regular mammograms are the best way of detecting breast cancer in this age group. Women aged 40-49 can also have a mammogram screening if they wish, but should be aware that mammograms are not as effective for women in this age group as they are for older women. Women who are having regular screenings still need to be aware of the look and feel of their breasts and see a doctor if they notice any changes.

For younger women a mammogram is much less effective as a screening test. This is because of the different nature of breast tissue in young women, making it more difficult to read the mammogram. Any young woman who finds an abnormality in her breast should be assessed by a doctor, and a combination of a mammogram, ultrasound and possibly needle biopsy can be used to clarify the problem.

For more information on breast awareness visit www.breastscreen.health.wa.gov.au
BreastScreen WA offers free mammogram screening for all women over 50 years of age.

New FPWA publications

Click on the links below to view FPWA's new brochures in PDF format.

The Ins and Outs of Puberty

Help I think I'm Pregnant!

Book reviews

by Rebecca Smith and Andrew Kelly

Blooming Pregnancy
By Lynn Huggins-Cooper

Blooming Pregnancy is an inspirational book for expectant and new parents. An entertaining read, it covers all the usual topics found in pregnancy books, as well as some new ones. With chapters such as ‘Salad tongs and suction caps’ (instruments used during delivery) and ‘Move it baby’ (travel tips during pregnancy), readers are sure to have a chuckle. Each section includes ideas for the reader to try, frequently asked questions and (humorous) words of wisdom from comedians, authors and experts in the field of childbirth.

Blooming Pregnancy leaves the theoretical side of things at the door and instead offers an easy, enlightening read. With authors who offer first-hand experience, Blooming Pregnancy is, all in all, blooming marvellous.

Sperm Wars: the rights and wrongs of reproduction
Edited by Heather Grace Jones and Dr Maggie Kirkman

What they say: “SPERM: Who wants it, who's got it and what are they going to do with it? In this crucial new collection, Heather Grace Jones and Maggie Kirkman have invited contributors from every angle of the sperm debate to have their say on these and many other questions. The breadth of perspectives not only makes for compelling reading; it demonstrates that, as the Sperm Wars range from defensive skirmishes and battles over territory to bloody ideological crusades, we are all potential combatants.”

What I say: ‘Le petit mort’ – the little death. From one male act comes so much controversy, so much discussion, it boggles the mind. This collection of short essays attempts to show just how many different viewpoints, questions and prospects that face a man and his ‘little swimmers’. Upon opening this book your mind is opened up to a whole new world when it comes to sperm. Should you waste it? Should you donate it? Should you accept it? What does it mean to be a father? Do you even need a man?! Overall a very interesting read, if you don’t mind the contributor's personal views (and they are very personal). Come in and borrow it; if anything, you won’t look at sperm the same way again!

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Page last updated Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:28

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