By Dr. Meyer
September is sexual health awareness month, and it is not only about avoiding diseases or unplanned pregnancy but is also about the overall well-being and understanding of your body. Once a woman starts becoming sexually active there are a lot of insecurities, possibilities, confusion and questions. As obstetrician and gynecologist, we want to make sure that you have the knowledge and understanding to feel comfortable.
The first step is making an appointment with your OBGYN. We know that having conversations about sexual health can be intimidating and scary at first since there are a lot of unknowns, so to help jump start the conversation, we put together the top ten questions young adults ask their OBGYN on a regular basis:
- Is all birth control the same? What happens if I miss a dosage? What do I do?
- How can I talk to my partner about birth control options?
- How do I protect myself from sexually transmitted infections? How do you start that conversation with your partner? When should I be tested for UTIs?
- Are there any vaccines that I should be considering? What does the Gardasil vaccine prevent?
- After sex, how do I know if I am properly taking care of my body? What happens if I don’t?
- Is vaginal discharge normal? How do I know when it starts to become abnormal?
- Should I be checking my breast for lumps? What am I looking for?
- How can you tell the difference between a cyst and a lump in your breast tissue? How common is it that you would find a cyst in your breast?
- What happens if my pap smear comes back abnormal? When should I start getting a pap smear?
- Is a cold sore the same as herpes? How can you tell the difference?
All of these questions are normal and can be addressed with only your OBGYN. Call us to make an appointment and start the conversation to get answers to all your sexual health questions at 920.749.4000.