Vaginal organic acids and hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle.

Twenty-seven women not using oral contraceptives (OCs) and 22 women using OCs were studied during one complete menstrual cycle. Twenty-four-hour vaginal secretions, collected on alternate days by a tampon method, were analyzed for acetic and other short-chain aliphatic acids and for lactic acid. Daily blood samples were analyzed for estrogens, progesterone (P), and luteinizing hormone (LH). No difference was found between OC users and nonusers in either amount or variability of vaginal aliphatic acids throughout the menstrual cycle. Aliphatic acids did not correlate with estrogen of P levels. A significant positive correlation was found between vaginal lactic acid and blood estrogens in those subjects not using OCs.

The pre- and post-therapy measurement of communication skills of couples undergoing sex therapy at the Masters & Johnson Institute.

A battery of five paper and pencil questionnaires designed to measure empirically 10 specific skills hypothesized to be involved in effective interpersonal communication was employed to assess the pre- and post-therapy levels of these skills in couples undergoing treatment for sexual dysfunction at the Masters & Johnson Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. The females exhibited significant increases across the 2-week period of therapy for the following skills: positive assertion in intimate heterosexual peer relationships, assertiveness, verbal expression of feelings, and nonmaterial support and evidence of love. For the males significant increases in the following skills were obtained: assertiveness, verbal expression of feelings, self-disclosure, and tolerance of the less pleasant aspects of the loved one. A significant decrease was observed for the skill entitled feelings not expressed verbally to the loved one. Thus, both the females and males became more assertive and more able to express their feelings openly and thus more able to share more of themselves with their partners as a result of the therapy. These results lend empirical support to Masters and Johnson's theoretical model of communication and to the view that much more than simple behavior therapy is involved in a successful sex therapy program.

Plasma testosterone levels of sexually functional and dysfunctional men.

Plasma testosterone levels in a group of 341 men with sexual dysfunction were compared to those in 199 men with normal sexual function. All subjects were participants in a 2-week intensive conjoint sex therapy program at the Masters & Johnson Institute. Testosterone determinations were made using radioimmunoassay methods after column chromatography; all blood samples were obtained on the second day of therapy between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. after an overnight fast. Circulating levels of testosterone in men with normal sexual function (mean 635 ng/dl) were not significantly different from testosterone values in sexually dysfunctional men (mean 629 ng/dl). However, men with primary impotence (N = 13) had significantly higher testosterone levels than men with secondary impotence (N = 180), with mean levels of 710 and 574 ng/dl, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean testosterone level for men with ejaculatory imcompetence was 660 ng/dl (N = 15), while for men with premature ejaculation the mean was 622 ng/dl (N = 91). Plasma testosterone concentrations were not related to therapy outcome but were correlated negatively with age of patients.

In vivo evaluation of an effervescent intravaginal contraceptive insert by simulated coital activity.

Sixteen women ages 20 to 41 participated in a project to evaluate the in vivo intravaginal spermicidal effectiveness of nonoxynol-9 foaming suppositories. Testing of each subject was done at 18 different time intervals ranging from 5 seconds to 6 hours following insertion of the vaginal contraceptive. Simulated coitus using a latex dildo was incorporated in the test design to simulate dispersal of the spermicide that occurs during coitus. Semen specimens meeting uniform criteria for sperm count, motility, morphology, and volume were injected intravaginally; three vaginal aspirates were then immediately obtained to evaluate sperm motility microscopically. Maximal spermicidal effectiveness was found between 5 minutes and 1 hour after insertion of the vaginal contraceptive.