What is sexual health?
Sexual health is defined as the state of physical, mental, and social wellness with reference to the sexuality of an individual. It is a type of health that requires a respectful, positive approach to sexuality and physical relationships as well as the possibility of experiencing safe and pleasurable sex which is clear from coercion, violence, and discrimination.
The meaning of sexual health is different for every person because of the influence of many personal and social factors including religion, culture, upbringing, spirituality, indigenous status, values and beliefs, personal experiences, connected people, legal and/or sexual rights, and social expectations.
Being sexually healthy means:
According to Dr. Shilpa Bansal Agrawal, gynecologist in Mumbai, ‘Adolescence is a transitional life phase between childhood and adulthood where physical and psychological development occurs in teenagers belonging to the age group 13-19 years. When children enter adolescence, they begin to experience many rapid bodily changes and developments which often happen at different rates. Thus, adolescents are more likely to face many health and social challenges.’
Healthy sexuality is an indispensable part of the growth and development of adolescents and is important for the society they live in. Most adolescents can grow and develop strongly before becoming an adult while many of them face hardships in steering through this life stage. Particularly, the majority of adolescents are not able to understand that having unprotected sex in teenagers can put their sexual health at risk during these teen years and even lead to poor health outcomes in their adulthood.
The initiation of early, exploitive, and risky sexual activities in the life of teenagers when they are lacking sexual awareness, adequate sex knowledge, and skills for use of the right conception can turn out to be problematic for them. That’s because they could be at higher risk of experiencing unintended or early pregnancy, going through an unsafe abortion, and acquiring sexually transmitted infections/diseases including HIV/AIDS through their sexual contacts. Furthermore, when teenage girls get pregnant they have more chances to suffer from health issues like anemia, eclampsia, puerperal endometritis, systemic infections, unsafe abortion, STDs, postpartum hemorrhage, and mental illnesses like depression.
They may even experience other issues like social, behavioral, emotional, and mental health problems and may become substance abusers. Not only them, but the fetus developing inside them also may not be totally physically fit. Their babies could be at higher risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and severe neonatal conditions. Pregnant adolescents also have to bear negative social consequences because of which they may have to leave their studies. Their low academic attainment reduces their chances of getting employed in the future, eventually resulting in long-term economic implications. Family planning, including the spacing between childbirths, may not be there among young married couples who are just adolescents. Here comes into the picture the importance of looking after the sexual health of adolescents.
Sexual health awareness and guidance by adolescent gynecologists are majorly important for adolescents who belong to financially backward families or families with marital discord, are of an ethnic minority, have been victims of physical and sexual abuse, and have been on low-level parental supervision.
One can consult Dr. Shilpa Bansal Agrawal, Best Doctor for Sexual Disorders Treatment in Mumbai for more information on Adolescents sexual health and awareness at Harleys Cosmetic & Women Clinic, or Surya Hospitals: Multispecialty Hospital for Women & Children, Cloudnine Hospital, BSES MG Hospital, and Criticare Asia Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai.
How can Gynecologists help with Adolescents’ Sexual Health?
Most adolescents who require the best sexual and reproductive healthcare services, such as important appropriate sexual health-related information, contraceptive needs, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases may either not have access to it or may be provided in a way that makes them feel distressed, unwelcomed, and embarrassed. That’s why it is important to have adolescent-friendly health services which meet the needs and developmental attributes of adolescents to be able to gain all their attention towards having them. WHO encourages such health services to address these concerns and make it easier for adolescents to get any health services related to sexuality.
Pediatric-adolescent gynecologists in Mumbai and even other healthcare providers are an important source of delivering health-related information among adolescents. They play a major role in helping adolescents develop healthy behaviours, routines, and relationships that they can carry along with them as they step into adulthood.
Adolescents can keep up with their healthy sexuality and be able to practice healthy sexual behaviours as adults if they are provided access to comprehensive and accurate sex-related education, special counselling on family planning and use of contraception especially the practice of abstinence, and offered services to prevent, diagnose, and treat Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs). Furthermore, they can maintain their good sexual health if they are empowered to know and exercise their rights and are not misusing their freedom. Gynaecologists can help in this regard. They can help address the reproductive and sexual healthcare needs of teenage girls.
It is recommended that every teenage girl who has just hit puberty and started to have their menses must see a gynecologist to ensure that they stay sexually healthy and can take the best care of their reproductive health. For all those adolescents who are not experiencing any unusual symptoms and have been delaying their first gynecologist visit until they get older or have any sexual health issues, ultimately this can turn disadvantageous.
When adolescents meet gynecologists, they receive a great opportunity to discuss their physical and emotional changes in a secure, caring environment. They have more chances to develop a healthy relationship with their concerned doctor who can accompany them throughout the entire adolescence period and even with other life stages ahead. Also, the adolescent’s gynecologist could anticipate any sexual health issues that may arise further on in their life so that they get effective preventive care.
During an initial consultation with a gynecologist or adolescent doctor in Mumbai, at Harleys Cosmetic & Women Clinic, the adolescents can expect to inform the gynecologist of their primary reason for the visit and allow the gynecologist to review their sexual health history and general medical and surgical records. Discussion may include passing to the gynecologist relevant information about their sex partner(s), use of contraception or protection, assessment of age-appropriate screening tests that are due such as mammogram, PAP Smear test, and bone density, and whether they have had HPV vaccine or need to receive it.
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