There is a well-established association between depression and sexual dysfunction in both men and women. Although many factors influence this association, experts generally agree that depression affects individuals’ cognitive processes, altering their attention, perception, and evaluation of events, which has the potential to impair sexual experiences.

Introduction

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is the most common form of vulvodynia, occurring in an estimated 8%-10% of women of all ages worldwide. It is a chronic pain condition that results in painful sexual intercourse because PVD causes sharp, cutting, or burning pain for a woman whenever pressure is applied to the vestibule (PVD can even make putting in a tampon painful).

Female orgasmic disorder (FOD) is characterized by delayed, infrequent, or absent orgasm despite sufficient stimulation and adequate emotional and mental sexual arousal during at least 75% of sexual experiences for women. This term is also used to describe a marked decrease in orgasm intensity.

A migraine is a neurovascular headache that is often characterized by severe throbbing pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. Sometimes, migraines are accompanied by other conditions such as depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal disorders, and/or chronic pain conditions. As they often recur in individuals, migraines can be disruptive and debilitating, leading to missed social engagements, lost time at work, and even a noticeable decrease in quality of life.

Racial and ethnic minority populations bear a disproportionate burden of overall health concerns due to factors such as persistent health disparities, discrimination, stigma, education, geographic location, and poverty or low-income levels. Unfortunately, sexual health concerns also impact these communities at a higher rate than other communities. Importantly, these health disparities are not in any way caused by a person’s ethnic background or heritage, but rather by the societal factors and barriers to care that make it more difficult for minority groups to access important health information and quality health care services.

Ample scientific evidence suggests that youth who suffer from psychiatric disorders are more likely to experience difficulties during their sexual and gender identity development. Several factors may contribute to these difficulties, including feelings of low self-worth, trouble finding romantic partners, the sexual side effects of many psychotropic medications, and the higher-than-average prevalence of sexual trauma among individuals with mental health conditions. Nevertheless, sexuality remains an infrequently discussed topic between mental health care providers, adolescent patients, and patients’ parents.

Many people feel that drinking alcohol helps them to relax, lowers their inhibitions, and allows them to feel more confident during sex. Research confirms that, when used in moderation, alcohol is often associated with increased socialization, improved feelings of personal attractiveness and attraction toward others, and reduced inhibitions. While it may seem appealing, this dynamic may not always be beneficial for a person’s sexual health, and excessive alcohol consumption can be especially detrimental to a person’s sex life in a number of ways. (Keep in mind that moderate alcohol consumption is generally defined as no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men).

Phalloplasty and metoidioplasty are the two most common gender-affirming penile reconstruction procedures available to transmasculine patients at this point in time. For a phalloplasty procedure, the surgeon utilizes tissue from different areas of the patient’s body such as the forearm, thigh, and abdomen to construct a penis. Metoidioplasty involves releasing the clitoris from the tissues that hold it down and repositioning the genital tissues to create a neophallus, or “new penis.”

Yes, usually it is safe to have sex during pregnancy. The muscular walls of the uterus and the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing fetus protect it from outside forces, so engaging in sexual activity during a normal pregnancy does not harm the baby or the mother.

Transgender individuals may decide to seek gender-affirming care to transition their physical characteristics to match their gender identity. Two standard gender-affirming treatment options are gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and gender-affirming surgery (GAS). Individuals may choose to use GAHT as a standalone therapy or in combination with GAS.

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that cancer patients may experience changes in their sexual health due to cancer treatments. While most guidelines acknowledge the importance of addressing patients’ sexual health when they undergo cancer treatment, there continues to be a disconnect between the ideal standard of sexual health care and real-world practice. 

Some medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury (SCI), and dysraphism can result in neurogenic bladder dysfunction, which means that an individual lacks bladder control due to an issue with their nerves, spinal cord, or brain. When conservative measures to address neurogenic bladder dysfunction fail, sometimes patients opt to undergo a surgery to enlarge their bladder (augmentation cystoplasty) or a surgery to remove their bladder (simple or radical cystectomy).