Preventive sexual health services all women need

Sexual health and a vigorous sex life is what all women deserve. Some of the most important benefits of good sexual health include valuing yourself, enjoying positive and satisfying relationships, avoiding sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies.

Achieving sexual health is within women’s reach.  But it begins with understanding and knowing of preventive sexual health services helping women meet that goal. The purpose of preventive health services is to help women stay healthy and to detect and treat early any problems found. Preventive sexual health services include screenings testing for STIs, vaccines such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) reducing a woman’s risk of genital warts and cervical cancer, and sexual health counseling teaching women how to protect themselves and their partner from getting a STI.

Here are the preventive sexual health services recommended for most women. Working with their healthcare provider, women can decide which services are right for her:

Sexual Health Screenings

·      Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

There are certain STIs, such as Chlamydia and gonorrhea, that many women if infected, do not realize they have it. Testing for each of these STIs is the only way women will know if they have either STI. Many doctors test for both Chlamydia and gonorrhea at the same time. It’s recommended that all women 25 years and younger be screened each year for Chlamydia. Older women with risk factors for STIs, such as unprotected sex, a new partner, or multiple partners, should also be screened for Chlamydia.

Any woman who is pregnant should be screened for Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B at the time of their first prenatal visit or within the first trimester.

·      HIV Testing

 At some point in a woman’s life, testing for HIV should occur during a routine physical. Any woman who is having sex unprotected, has had a STI or has a partner who has multiple partners, shares needles, or has a partner engaging in these behaviors, should be tested at least once a year.

·      Cervical Cancer Screening

Cervical cancer has a way of subtly sneaking up on a woman.  Any sign that something may be askew is getting the dreaded phone call from her gynecologist’s office stating she has an abnormal Pap test – one of two screening tests used to detect cervical cancer.  The other screening test for cervical cancer is the HPV (human papillomavirus) test.  HPV tests can find any of the high-risk types of HPV that are commonly found in cervical cancer. 

Both the CDC and the American Cancer Society strongly recommend all women begin regular Pap tests starting at age 21 and an HPV test starting at age 30 and over. Most women between ages 21 and 65 should have a Pap test every three years. Women who’ve had an abnormal pap test should be screened more often.

·      Hepatitis C Screening

Any woman (and man) born between 1945 and 1965 should be screened for hepatitis C.  Most of these people are part of the “baby boom” generation who may have engaged in risky behavior such as unprotected sex, multiple sex partners, have HIV, or received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before national screening for the virus was in place.

Hepatitis C can lead to damage of the liver, the largest organ in the body.  This important organ helps the body digest food, store energy, and remove toxic materials we don’t need.   Hepatitis C can cause serious long-term health problems of the liver including liver failure, liver cancer, or even death.  Hepatitis C is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation in the U.S. 

Sexual Health Vaccines

·      Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine

The most common sexually transmitted infection is HPV or human papillomavirus with about 79 million Americans currently infected with it. The word papillomas is the word for a small benign tumor or warts which can infect the genital areas of men and women.  Each year about 14 million people become newly infected and just about all sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives.

Most infections of HPV go away on its own but some types of HPV cause cancer (mainly cervical in women) but also anal, vaginal, vulvar, and oral cancers along with genital warts. To protect women from these cancers, girls ages 11-12, should get a series of three shots before they are exposed to HPV. Some women over the age of 26 may also benefit from being vaccinated. 

·      Hepatitis B Vaccine

This vaccine is recommended for all women if they have multiple partners, have a partner with hepatitis B, have been diagnosed with HIV or other STIs, share needles, or have a partner who uses injection drugs.

People with hepatitis B may not feel sick but can still pass the virus on to others. There is no treatment for hepatitis B. Some infections clear up on their own but others get worse and can cause severe liver damage. The best protection against contracting hepatitis B is to be vaccinated against it.

Sexual Health Counseling

·      Contraception

All women who are sexually active and wish to avoid pregnancy until ready to become a parent will need to use some form of contraception. Fortunately, there are many simple and effective methods of contraception to choose from. These include the intrauterine device (IUD), implant, injections, birth control pills, the ring, the patch, diaphragm, sponge, cervical cap, and male and female condoms. Women who are done having children or wish not to, can choose permanent contraception e.g. tubal ligation. There are also natural family planning methods and abstinence as other options.

Women unsure of which birth control method to use, should contact her healthcare provider to discuss the options to make the right decision for her.

Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy.  Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911.