Sexual and Reproductive Health (Page 3)

HOPE Malta for fertility issues

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Malta has the lowest fertility rate in Europe with Eurostat reporting 1.14 live births per woman from Malta in 2019. Many women in Malta are delaying pregnancy, with 30.5 being the average age of women giving birth to their first baby. Delaying pregnancy for some women may mean increasing the risk of finding it more difficult to get pregnant and have a baby. It usually takes on average a year to get pregnant and couples should not panic if they don’t get pregnant right away. If on the other hand you have been trying for over a year (or 6 months if you are overRead More…

world contraception day 2021

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Artificial contraception empowers girls and women, it allows for us women to plan our lives and to control the number and spacing of our children. However only condoms prevent sexually transmitted infections and diseases that are rampant in Malta. I believe that in Malta we still don’t give enough importance to contraception, especially to condoms and we do not discuss the fact that condoms are still not widely used by many boys and men in Malta. In fact, statistics show that 75% of Maltese sexually active people do not use condoms. Very worrying too is the recent study by the World Health Organisation called theRead More…

world contraception day

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

The month of September is known for many reasons – for some it can be a month filled with anxiety and excitement since a new scholastic year would be starting for their children or even themselves; others might experience certain melancholic feelings due to it being a month known for suicide awareness. September is also known for the celebration of another ‘special’ day – no, we do not throw a feast for this day, however we usually get more information about necessities which not only improve our lifestyle to a certain extent, but also reduce some anxieties and fears. The 26th of September is WorldRead More…

vaginismus

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Netflix Sex Education Season 2 finale opens with a sex scene between Lily and Ola who had in the previous season admitted they did not want to remain “just friends”. All seems well until Ola unzips Lily’s silver skirt and inserts her hand. “Ow” Lily shouts, “Did I do something wrong?” asks Ola? “It’s not you, it’s me. I have something called vaginismus. My vagina is like a venus flytrap”. Vaginismus, or what is now part of the Genito-Pelvic Pain Penetration Disorders consists of an involuntary spasm of the vaginal muscles causing the vagina to close, resulting in penetration being painful, difficult or at timesRead More…

pro-choice

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

It is undeniable that the abortion debate has been sitting in the hotseat for a while now, but many seem to confuse the term ‘pro-choice’ with ‘pro-abortion’, even though they aren’t the same – or at least the way I see it… Pro-choice to me means exactly what it sounds like. It is about ‘choice’ in the very sense of the word; about recognising that women have the right to say if and when they will bear children and demanding that this right be respected. Pro-lifers often talk about abortions and people who are pro-choice as if it is enjoyable to see such procedures happenRead More…

contraception myths

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Whilst a lot of contraceptives and birth control methods are considered to be very effective in preventing pregnancy, there is also a lot of unfounded contraception misinformation out there that can hinder the associated prevention success rates. For this reason, we at wham thought of compiling a list of contraception myths along with the rationale for each, to prevent misinformation from leading towards unwanted surprises. Myth #1: “I’m breastfeeding, I cannot get pregnant”. Breastfeeding may prolong the return of your period. However, whilst there are women who experience months or even a year or two period-free whilst still breastfeeding, there are women who get theirRead More…

sex secrets shame

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

For decades, sex education in Malta was focused on abstinence and not getting a sexually transmitted infection. In the 80’s and 90’s, for example, the approach to sex education was not a sex-positive one, and sexual desire and sexual needs, especially outside of marriage were generally seen as immoral and wrong. Choosing to have sex in a long-term, heterosexual monogamous relationship was deemed to be the most appropriate course of action. The underlying message was that we are better people, better women, when we choose to reject and live ‘above the needs of the flesh’. Unfortunately, this seems to have left a whole generation withRead More…

erectile dysfunction

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Male impotence or what is now known in sexual medicine as erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition where an individual cannot get or maintain a penile erection. This difficulty may lead to a loss of sexual intimacy and usually effects the mental health of both partners in a relationship. According to the American Urological Association, ED effects close to 30 million males causing difficulties with self-esteem, relationships, depression, and anxiety. A literature review carried out by Anna Kessler and colleagues in 2019 noted that most of the studies carried out on the incidence of erectile dysfunction suggested that it increases with age. However, erectileRead More…

pregnancy scans and tests available in malta

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

Mark Cordina is a Specialist in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Mater Dei Hospital. He is strongly involved in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ultrasound Department at Mater Dei, supervising and training both doctors and radiographers. He has worked at King’s College Hospital London specifically in the Early Pregnancy and Gynaecology Assessment Unit and then in the Harris Birthright Feto-Maternal Medicine Research centre where he received sub-speciality training in ultrasound and feto-maternal medicine. He is certified by the Fetal Medicine Foundation (UK) to perform First Trimester Screening (Nuchal Scans) and Anomaly Scans amongst other things. He also has a Masters Degree in Maternal-Fetal Medicine withRead More…

internet porn use

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In: Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health

In the 80’s and 90’s the closest we came to porn were productions similar to ‘Colpo grosso’ on Italian or Sicilian television or if you knew the right people you could get copies of the Playboy magazine or look out for page 3 girls on The Sun. In fact, in Malta pornography and obscene material was illegal until 2016 even if directed to an adult audience. As late as 2011, the Maltese Court of Criminal Appeal upheld the conviction against soft and hardcore pornographic films being aired at City Lights Theatre in Valletta. However, in 2015, the then Minister of Social Justice Owen Bonnici startedRead More…