Sexual health and contraceptives in the young people of the XXI century

Youth is a key period of life to ensure future well-being, especially in relation to sexuality. The general objective is to analyze the sexual education of young people today regarding sexual practices and to study the use of contraceptive methods. Material(s) and Method(s): It is a cross-sectional, observational study of cases. Designed a digital questionnaire made with Google consisting of 26 items and 3 blocks: social-demographic data, female sexuality and sexual health. Data analysis the statistical program SPSS 25.0. Result(s): The sample obtained: 1320 women. Social-demographic data: ages between 15 and 29 years and 58.3% of the women had a partner. The most frequent sexual orientation: 77% heterosexual. Female sexuality: for 63.9% of women, sex is an important part of their relationships and 43.3% consider themselves attractive people. The most rejected practices: anal sex, during menstruation or with the light on. 4.7% do not feel prepared to require their sexual partner to use a condom. 9.7% are not able to request sexual practices that they want. 6.2% state that they do not avoid any practice despite the fact that some of them cause discomfort. During the Covid-19 situation, the frequency of sexual relations decreases by 49% and the absent practices of viral transmission via online increase. Regarding sexual education, we observe that the majority have been provided by friends, that is, unqualified personnel. The most explained topics are focused on the traditional aspects of sexual health and human development, therefore it is an education that is not of quality, data confirmed by 58% of women. The contraceptive methods most used by women are condoms and oral contraceptives, whose main purpose is the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (condoms). Its use can have negative connotations such as decreased sexual desire, excitement, sensitivity and orgasm disorders. Conclusion(s): Currently, young women perceive sexuality more and more naturally, talking about it without fear or censorship. Sex educators are mostly not qualified personnel. The SARS-CoV2 (Covid-19) situation increases the number of sexual practices online, decreasing it. The contraceptive methods most used by women are condoms and oral contraceptives.Copyright © 2023

Sexual function in university students

Objective: Describe sexual function in university students belonging to universities in Chillán, Chile. Methods: Quantitative design, descriptive and cross-sectional study. The population of this study was comprised of 220 female university students with an age range of 17 to 40 years of age which fulfilled the criteria for eligibility. Information was collected through a Google survey due to government health mandates relating to COVID-19 in Chile. Sociodemographic variables were included, as well as surveys about the feminine orgasm and the Female Sexual Function Index. Results: According to the Female Sexual Function Index items, scores within normal ranges were observed in all domains, although a few of these scored closely to the cut-off points. On the domains of arousal, lubrication, orgasm and pain, with a cut-off score of 3 points, the average was 3.7±1.6 points arousal and lubrication, 3.4±1.5 points for the domain of orgasm and 3.5±1.7 for pain. On the other hand, for the domains of desire and satisfaction, with a cut-off score of >3.4, an average of 3.4±0.9 points was observed, and 3.7±1.6 for the domain of satisfaction. Conclusions: The results obtained are within normal parameters in each domain. However, a small percentage of surveyed women who scored below the minimum exists;it is fundamental to generate, for this group of women, better spaces and opportunities for sexual education in order to answer their questions and help them in their issues to better provide treatment afor the women who are unable to fully enjoy sex. © 2022 Sociedad de Obstetricia y Ginecologia de Venezuela. All rights reserved.

SEXUALITY, FAMILY PLANNING and MENTAL HEALTH among REPRODUCTIVE-AGE WOMEN with RHEUMATIC DISEASE during the COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background: Women with rheumatic disease are more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction, infertility, depression, and anxiety. The pandemic may have affected these constraints. Objectives: To investigate the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on sexuality, family planning and mental health in a sample of women with rheumatic disease. Methods: Women aged 18-50 with a rheumatic disease and women in an age-matched healthy control group received questionnaires featuring: 1) demographic information, sexual frequency, family planning;2) the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI);3) the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21);and 4) the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS). Recruitment took place 3/21-12/21. Patients with rheumatic conditions were recruited at the Vienna University Clinic (AKH) and the control group through social media. Parameters were compared between the patients and the healthy control group, and with data on sexuality from women with rheumatic disease from 2019. Results: A preliminary analysis was conducted with 83 patients with rheumatic disease and 124 healthy controls. The rheumatic disease group exhibited lower levels of stress (6.46 vs. 8.36 p<0.01) and Coronavirus Anxiety (6.27 vs 7.50 p<0.01) than the control group and was less likely to report that the pandemic led to a reduction of their sexual frequency (p<0.01). The control group cited 'stress' frequently the decrease of sexual frequency. The FSFI analysis revealed that patients with rheumatic disease experienced higher levels of pain (p<0.001) during sex than the control group but were more satisfed with their relationships (p<0.05). In comparison to 58 patients with rheumatic conditions, whose data was collected in 2019, the 2021 cohort reported reduced FSFI values in the domains of desire (p<0.01), arousal (p<0.05), lubrication (p<0.05), and orgasms (p<0.01). Conclusion: Consistent with research on female sexuality during the pandemic among healthy women, we found that patients with rheumatic conditions reported lower FSFI values in 2021, in comparison to 2019. Our fnding that the pandemic had less impact on the patient group than a healthy control group, is consistent with research on MS and IBD patients, who showed surprising resilience in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

THE STATISTICS OF HUMAN SEXUALITY

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: In 2015, English statistician and academic David Spiegelhalter wrote a book backed by the History of Medicine of the Wellcome Foundation entitled Sex by Numbers: What Statistics Can Tell Us About Sexual Behaviour. This represents an investigation into the statistics of human sexual activity to update the statistics of Kinsey and show the startling influence by the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The investigation of the statistics of sexual activity is as enlightening as it is entertaining and there is a plethora of literature on modern sexual practices. This represents a concerted effort to track down these numbers and this data. The largest pornographic site, Pornhub®, also tracks its own statistics since its founding in 2007. RESULTS: An intriguing statistic is that the average number of sexual partners is about 9.9 (6.6 at Kinsey Center) for males and about 3.4 (4.3 at Kinsey) for females in their lifetimes. The exception to this is with homosexual persons, where the averages are much higher. Nature versus nurture is the classic tale of which is more important, genetics or environment, but most often there is a bit of both behind the scenes. Sexual activity is one of the most difficult topics of historical significance, because it is interleaved with so many socio-religious overtones. The average male loses his virginity at age 16.9, compared to age 17.4 for females. About 1 in 10 married adults sleep alone and not with their married spouse - shades of Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore in The Dick Van Dyke Show. Only 29% of females achieve orgasm during sexual encounters, compared to 75% in their male counterparts. Currently, 66% of male college students report having “friends with benefits.” Also, currently 50% of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some point in their sexual lives. Sexual activity burns about 100-200 calories in males and about 69 calories in females but the heart rate at orgasm is about 140 and equal in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Spiegelhalter dedicated his statistical analysis “to everyone in history who has struggled with sex. And eventually called it a draw.” There is something like 900,000,000 acts of just heterosexual intercourse per year in Great Britain alone or roughly 100,000 per hour. This can all be extrapolated to the 7 billion humans around the world making close to 166,667 copulations per minute (or almost 4,000 per second).

Transcranial Photobiomodulation Therapy for Sexual Dysfunction Associated with Depression or Induced by Antidepressant Medications

Sexual dysfunction (SD) is frequently encountered in patients suffering from depression. There is a bidirectional relationship between various types of SD and depression, so the presence or treatment of one condition may exacerbate or improve the other condition. The most frequent sexual problem in untreated depressed patients is declining sexual desire, while in treated depressed patients it is difficulties with erection/ejaculation and with orgasm. Numerous classes of neuropsychiatric medications, commonly used in depressed patients—such as antidepressant, antipsychotic, alpha sympathetic, and opioid drugs—may cause SD. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, also called low-level light/laser therapy, is a novel neuromodulation technique for neuropsychiatric conditions, such as depression. Transcranial PBM (tPBM) targets the cellular metabolism—through the mitochondrial respiratory enzyme, cytochrome c oxidase—and has numerous cellular and physiological beneficial effects on the central nervous system. This paper represents a comprehensive review of the application of tPBM to SD, coexisting with depression or induced by antidepressant medications.

Pelvic Floor HIFEM in Men Improves Ejaculation

Introduction: High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) field technology utilizes rapidly changing magnetic fields that generate electrical currents in the underlying tissue where it depolarizes motor neurons and causes muscle contractions. BTL Emsella provides non-invasive electromagnetic stimulation of pelvic floor musculature for the purpose of rehabilitation of weak pelvic muscles and restoration of neuromuscular control for the treatment of male and female incontinence. Novel protocol U2 is intended for men and uses a field intensity max of 2.5 T and a 10 cm depth of penetration for 28 minutes. Objective: Determine the effects of High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) field technology on the intensity and duration of ejaculation in men, with additional observations on erectile function using the IIEF-15 and urination using the IPSS. Methods: We looked at the effects of HIFEM on ejaculation, erectile function, and urination. Our IRB-approved protocol was one 28 minutes pelvic floor treatment per week for 4 weeks. At baseline, end of treatment, and one month post-treatment, the patient completed the IIEF-15, IPSS, and the LuBE Score, a four-question 5 point Likert style questionnaire created specifically for this study to investigate patient-reported aspects of orgasm, including volume, force, duration, and intensity of ejaculation. 0 is no change, 1 is increased, 2 is dramatically increased, -1 is decreased, -2 is dramatically decreased. Men participated with their sexual partners who also received four weekly treatments. Results: 12 men, average age of 57, completed the protocol. The range of the LuBE score is -8 to 8. The LuBE Score increased from baseline 0 up to 2.1 (median is 3 with a range of -1 to 5) to 2.7 (median of 3 with a range of 0 to 4) one month after the completion of treatment. The IIEF-15 increased from 54 at baseline to 60.3 at the completion of treatment and 60.4 one month after the completion of treatment. The IPSS declined from 7.1 to 4.6 at the completion of treatment and down to 3.3 one month after th Conclusions: We conclude that the U2 protocol for HIFEM boosts the strength of the bulbocavernosus and ischiocavernosus muscle and the pelvic floor resulting in an increase in volume, force, duration and intensity of ejaculation. In addition, there was a six-point increase in IIEF-15 score. There was a 3 to 4 point drop in IPSS score. We were surprised to see improvements in IIEF-15 and IPSS, and this should be investigated further. COVID limited patient recruitment, but the results indicate that pelvic HIFEM potentially improves ejaculation. Based on patient communications, I believe that more treatments than the four provided will add to the benefits. I plan on studies with more participants and extended treatment sessions. Disclosure: Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: BTL Clarification: No industry support in study design or execution Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: AFFIRM Science

Love in the Time of COVID-19: A Multi-Wave Study Examining the Salience of Sexual and Relationship Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The current study used Family Systems Theory as a framework to clarify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual, romantic, and individual functioning. Specifically, sexual and romantic functioning were modeled as key mechanisms linking COVID-19 related stressors (as predictors) to aspects of individual functioning over time (as outcomes). A sample of 1,241 sexually active adults in relationships (47% married/engaged) was recruited from March 5 to May 5, 2020: 82% White, 66% women, M = 34 years old, 58% heterosexual. All participants completed a baseline survey and 642 participants completed at least one of the six, monthly, follow-up surveys. Multilevel SEM models evaluated the model both at the level of stable between-person differences (i.e., level 2) and at the level of within-person change across time (i.e., level 1). The findings suggested that COVID-19 related stress was predictive of lower sexual, romantic, and individual functioning in both levels of the model. Significant indirect paths supported the proposed mediation at the level of within-person change across time: elevations in COVID-19 stress within specific months predicted corresponding drops in sexual functioning, which in turn predicted corresponding drops in romantic functioning, which in turn predicted corresponding drops in individual well-being (highlighting points of intervention). In contrast, at the level of between-person differences, stable levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction across the 6 months of the study were not associated with stable levels of COVID-19 stressors (representing sources of resilience that promoted well-being) and stable levels of stress from social isolation predicted stably higher amounts of communicating affection to one's loved ones (suggesting a need for affiliation in the face of chronic stress) whereas stable difficulties with orgasms were linked to stable irritability toward partners and depressive symptoms. Multigroup analyses suggested that the findings generalized across gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, relationship stage, and cohabitation groups. Spillover effects within a Family Systems Theory framework clarify how upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic could have impacted sexual, romantic, and individual functioning in a process-oriented framework, highlighting sources of resilience (sexual satisfaction, communicating affection) and risk (orgasm difficulties).

Female Sexual Function During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: International studies have demonstrated increasing rates of sexual dysfunction amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, the impact of the pandemic on female sexual function in the United States is unknown. AIM: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female sexual function and frequency in the United States. METHODS: A pre-pandemic survey containing the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and demographic questions was completed by adult women in the United States from October 20, 2019 and March 1, 2020. The same women were sent a follow-up survey also containing the FSFI, as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety with 4 items (PHQ-4), and questions pertaining to mask wearing habits, job loss, and relationship changes. Risk for female sexual dysfunction (RFSD) was defined as FSFI < 26.55. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Differences in pre-pandemic and intra-pandemic female sexual function, measured by the FSFI, and sexual frequency. RESULTS: Ninety-one women were included in this study. Overall FSFI significantly decreased during the pandemic (27.2 vs 28.8, P = .002), with domain-specific decreases in arousal (4.41 vs 4.86, P = .0002), lubrication (4.90 vs 5.22, P = .004), and satisfaction (4.40 vs 4.70, P = .04). There was no change in sexual frequency. Contingency table analysis of RFSD prior to and during the pandemic revealed significantly increased RFSD during the pandemic (P = .002). Women who developed RFSD during the pandemic had higher PHQ-4 anxiety subscale scores (3.74 vs 2.53, P = .01) and depression subscale scores (2.74 vs 1.43, P = .001) than those who did not. Development of FSD was not associated with age, home region, relationship status, mask wearing habits, knowing someone who tested positive for COVID-19, relationship change, or job loss and/or reduction during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: In this population of female cannabis users, risk for sexual dysfunction increased amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Bhambhvani HP, Chen T, Wilson-King AM, et al. Female Sexual Function During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States. Sex Med 2021;9:100355.