Sexual Health

Women over the age of 25 may still need to be screened for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) according to research released at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) Annual Clinical Meeting.

Human papillomavirus vaccines provide still some benefit to women who have undergone treatment for HPV-related diseases, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.

More than one third of women in the United States will experience some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. The consequences of IPV can be lifelong and include emotional trauma, long-term physical impairment, chronic health problems, and even death.

According to research published in the Annals of Family Medicine, midstream urine testing effectively detects Chlamydia trachomatis.

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom the ESHRE 2001 Conference - Lausanne, Switzerland

Yeast infections are one of the most common infections occurring in women. Although they are rarely dangerous, they can be very bothersome and uncomfortable.

Genital warts, also called condylomata, is a common infection of the female reproductive tract.

With its implications of sexual transmission and potential cervical cancer, a diagnosis of genital warts can be emotionally distressing to patients. Because no single treatment serves every patient, the best approach to selecting a therapeutic option considers the extent of the disease, wart location, and the patient's individual needs.

Diagnosis, Transmission, and Management

One out of four Americans between 15 and 55 will catch at least one sexually transmitted infection (STI).

Anyone working with survivors of sexual assault, especially those who are college-aged or teenagers, should be aware of a new drug called Rohypnol. Rohypnol has been dubbed the "date rape drug" because of its use in sexual assaults.

Although genital herpes is common there are a lot of misperceptions about this sexually transmitted infection. Genital herpes is caused by a virus, called Herpes Simplex Virus, or "HSV" for short.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, or PID, is an infectious disease that affects millions of U.S. women and girls each year. Although usually surprisingly easy to treat, it can be hard to diagnose, and can lead to many long-term and troublesome complications.

Who should have a Pap Smear?Any woman who is sexually active or is at least 18 years old should have a Pap smear. Cervical cancer is most commonly caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).

The PAP smear is a screening test for detecting cancerous or precancerous changes of the cervix. The test was developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou in the 1940’s.

This KIDS COUNT Special Report contains some hopeful news for the future of America's families. Since 1991, the percentages of American teenagers getting pregnant, giving birth, or having abortions have all fallen.

When will girls get their first period? The ages vary, but there are two signs of puberty that generally precede first menstruation.

Vulvodynia is a medical term that means "painful vulva". The term can cover a wide variety of vulvar pain syndromes, including various infections and skin disorders.

Painful sexual intercourse, called dyspareunia in medical terminology (pronounced "dis-pair-une-ee-ah"), is a common complaint among women seeking gynecologic care.

PCOS is a genetic hormone disorder which is related to diabetes. PCOS is something you are born with. Symptoms typically usually start appearing after puberty and in a few cases sometimes not until your 20's or early 30's.

By John C. Jarrett, M.D. and Deidra T. Rausch, Ph.D.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a new committee opinion urging clinicians to treat all patients presenting with vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN). The opinion is a result of an increasing incidence of VIN, particularly among US women in their 40s. The full opinion was published in the November issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Evidence-based Ways to Prevent Prematurity Caused by Infection Including Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

From the 7th European conference of Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology - October 5, 1999, in Istanbul, TurkeyReporting for OBGYN.net at ESIDOG, Dr. Joseph Pastorek

Several studies have been conducted about Bacterial Vaginosis and its relation with preterm labor that was accompanied with controversial results. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of Bacterial Vaginosis and common genitourinary infections between term and pre-term pregnancies.

The word "ectopic" means "out of place." An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that is not growing in the usual location (the uterine cavity). Ectopic pregnancies can occur in a number of abnormal locations, each with different characteristic growth patterns and treatment options.

Vulvodynia is a general term which means, simply and literally, "pain in the vulva." It is not the name of a disease, but a symptom, just like "headache." Vulvar vestibulitis is a syndrome in which there is pain at specific points in the vulvar vestibule (the portion surrounding the entrance to the vagina).

Pelvic pain in this category indicates a problem that if not treated urgently will cause serious harm or death. One serious cause of acute pelvic pain is a ruptured tubal (ectopic) pregnancy. Many women with a tubal pregnancy will continue to have menstrual-like bleeding, so they do not consider this possibility.

Most women experience pelvic pain at some time during their lives. Many times pelvic pain is just the normal functioning of the reproductive or other organs. Other times pelvic pain may indicate a serious problem that needs urgent treatment. Here we look at the causes of pelvic pain, and how the cause of pelvic pain is determined.

An episiotomy is a surgical incision into the perineum, the area between the bottom of the vaginal opening and the anus, in order to increase the size of the vaginal opening during childbirth. If it is done as part of gynecologic surgery, it's called a perineorrhaphy.