Doctor's Advice: Should a young couple try this?

Q Doc, I am a male in my early 20s. My girlfriend wants me to have anal sex with her. I do not like the idea, and I wonder if it can harm me or her?

A Well, I must make it clear at the outset that I do not recommend this practice. However, I do not wish to be condemnatory, and I am aware that there are doctors who think that doing it is OK. And it is something that is being increasingly attempted by young people.

They only try it once in most cases because they find that it is so painful for the female! I am rather surprised that you say that it is your girlfriend who wants to go in for this activity. Usually, it is the guy who persuades the girl into doing it.

Now, what are the disadvantages? Here they are:

It usually hurts the woman a lot, until she has been practising it for some time.

It frequently causes little cuts and cracks in her bottom.

After a period of time, it gradually widens her anal opening, so that eventually she is likely to become slightly incontinent of faeces - that is, 'leaky'.

If the couple follow anal intercourse by having vaginal intercourse, that can transfer bowel germs to her vagina - and give her a vaginal discharge.

Vaginal intercourse immediately after anal intercourse can give her a urinary infection.

Anal sex can introduce bowel germs into the guy's urinary pipe, and that might give him a urine infection.

Also, please bear in mind that anal sex is a highly 'efficient' method of transmitting HIV, which is the virus that causes AIDS.

Summing up, you can see that I am really not very enthusiastic about the idea that you and your girlfriend might go in for this type of sex. If, despite my advice, you do decide to go ahead, I urge you to use a condom, and also a lot of lubrication.

Q I am a male teenager, and I would like to know this. At what age does a guy's organ stop growing?

A It generally increases in size till about the age of 18, but not thereafter.

Q I am about to go on the Pill, but I do not really understand about it. I know it involves taking a week's break each month. But are you protected against pregnancy during that week?

A Yes. As you say, with most brands of pill, you take it for three weeks out of every four. So, there is a week's break between packs.

But provided you have not missed any pills, you will be protected during that 'pill-free week'.

If you need further clarification, why not talk to a nurse or doc, or maybe an older woman who has years of experience of taking the pill?

Q I am female, age 20, and I have suddenly developed an insatiable appetite for ice! Why is this, doctor?

A The commonest reason is iron-deficiency anaemia, which is weakness of the blood. But you should check with a doc. She can examine you, and can soon tell whether you are anaemic or not. If you do have anaemia, she will probably be able to put things right for you pretty quickly.

Q I am a guy of 19, and I am wondering whether the fact that I have masturbated in the past could affect my health badly? Friends of mine have told me where masturbation can give you cancer of the prostate.

A No, your friends have got this the wrong way round. Scientists have found that males who have masturbated are less likely to get prostatic cancer. No one knows why this should be so, but it is scientifically proven. Fortunately, masturbation has no ill-effects whatever on the health. So you can quit fretting.

Q It seems like I have blocked tubes. My friends are saying that this must be because I have slept around with a lot of boys. Is that possible?

A Well, blocked tubes are generally caused from germs. And those germs are caught through sexual contact. Therefore, the more partners you have sex with, the more likely you are to wind up with blocked tubes.

I am sorry to hear that you have this problem, and I hope that you are urgently getting medical treatment in order to try and cure it.

Q I am a guy of 17, and although I have developed normally in every other way, I have practically no body hair and very little pubic hair. For this reason, I would be far too embarrassed to take off my clothes in front of a girl. Please help me, Doc.

A It could be that you have a little hormone problem, and for that reason I urge you to see a doctor, and have a complete physical examination, plus some blood tests.

However, if you come from a family that does not have much body hair or pubic hair, it may be that you are perfectly normal. See what the doc says.

Q My daughter, age 16, gets real bad period pain. What can we do about this? She has not taken any medication yet.

A Well, she should start by taking one of the standard over-the-counter painkillers, such as aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen.

If none of them gives her adequate pain relief, then she should see a doc for a check-up. The doc will probably give her much stronger tablets, like mefenamic acid. And if that does not work, then the doctor is likely to prescribe a hormone medication, which should abolish the pain altogether.

One such hormone preparation would be the Pill, which is excellent for getting rid of menstrual pain.

Email questions for Doc to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com. You may also read Doctor's Advice every Sunday in Outlook Magazine.