Humans have been having sex since the dawn of time. So how has the art of lovemaking changed over time?
For the most of history, sex was discussed through a masculine gaze and centred on male pleasure.
The female sexual experience was often vilified and dismissed in comparison to their male counterparts.
Fortunately, discussing female sexual pleasures and experiences is no longer as big a taboo as it used to be.
Women are finally able to discuss openly about sex and in this advancement, find ways to protect themselves as well.
While the basic need of practising safe sex is important for everyone, here we will be focusing on the female gender.
Specifically, we will be discussing the importance of safe sex for women, STD prevention and the navigation of sexual health in Malaysia as a woman.
Why is Practising Safe Sex Important?
While the definition of safe sex has varied over the years, the main goal of it remains the same:
- Minimizing your risk for harm/infections/ unwanted experiences which include unwanted pregnancies.
The first thing to understand about safe sex is that it applies to all types of sexual activity (penetrative or not). What is safe sex about?
- It is used during sexual activity to prevent the exchange of body fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, or blood.
- It also includes practices that help you and your partner(s) feel safe psychologically.
- For safe sex to be effective, you must make an intentional effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and the spread of STIs.
Some methods of practising safe sex for women in Malaysia would be:
- Visiting STD clinics in Kuala Lumpur regularly for gynaecological and STD screening.
- Use of condoms and contraceptives. Many options for female contraception are widely available in Malaysia such as birth control pills, intrauterine devices, hormonal implants, injectables and spermicide gels.
- Keeping yourself updated with medication, vaccinations, and screening such as the HPV vaccine, and Hepatitis B vaccine.
- Latest advancements in medicine include the usage of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) & Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) as well.
Precaution During Intimacy
Perhaps the importance of clear communication between partners is not stressed enough as being part of intimacy.
It is crucial to discuss topics such as one’s sexual health, STD status and boundaries during sexual activity to ensure a pleasurable experience.
Another important aspect of safe sex and intimacy would be discussing options of protection available.
It is important to determine what kind of protection you seek; either contraceptive or protection against STDs. Let us discuss some of the more common ones here:
1. Contraceptive Protection
- Birth control pills (either combined or progesterone-only pills).
- Hormonal implants: This a newer option and one that is gaining traction of late in Malaysia. It is known as a long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).
- Intrauterine devices (copper IUD or Mirena): This is another example of a LARC. It is a small device placed in the uterus.
- Injectable: The most popular injectable in Malaysia is the DepoProvera. It is given once every 3 months intramuscularly for women.
2. Protection against STDs
- Barrier method (condoms): Most people are familiar with this method of protection.
- Limiting number of partners: The idea behind this is simple, the more partners you are involved with, the higher your chances of contracting STDs!
How is Sex Related to STDs?
STDs stand for sexually transmitted diseases. This term can be used interchangeably with STI which stands for sexually transmitted infections.
The most common ones afflicting Malaysian women would namely be: Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and HPV.
STDs as the name suggests, transmits via intimate contact during vaginal/oral/ anal sex. It is spread from person to person via blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and other bodily fluids. Let us get a closer look at these STDs:
1. Chlamydia:
- Women are often asymptomatic.
- They could have non-specific symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, urinary discomfort, or some vaginal discharge but this is self-limiting in most instances.
2. Gonorrhoea:
- Non-specific symptoms are present here as well such as increased vaginal discharge, and mild lower abdominal or pelvic pain.
- Gonorrhoea is notorious for causing a more serious complication named Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). This could lead to potential fertility issues if not detected early and treated.
3. Syphilis:
- This has a more insidious presentation and differs in various stages of the disease.
- Most commonly, women would present with a painless ulcer/sore around the genital area which can be self-limiting.
- If not identified and treated appropriately, it can progress further to secondary and tertiary syphilis.
4. Human Papillomavirus:
- Also known widely as HPV, this is an infection which could lead to cervical cancer if infected with a high-risk genotype.
- The main symptom here would be the appearance of genital warts or cellular changes seen on a pap smear.
- The importance of STD check and treatment in Malaysia is understated especially in cases of HPV infections.
Navigating STDs Among Malaysian Women
Sexual health is an integral aspect of overall well-being, encompassing physical, emotional, mental, and social dimensions.
However, it is not solely determined by biological factors; cultural and societal influences play a significant role in shaping attitudes, behaviours, and access to sexual health resources.
The general culture when it comes to women’s sexual health is often negatory or somewhat taboo.
It is more focused on obstetric-related topics and not much importance is given to other aspects of sexual health such as practising safe sex and STDs.
Historically, there is a severe lack of sexual education amongst both men and women alike in Malaysia which makes it difficult to strengthen the importance of safe sex.
This is further complicated by social stigmas which add fuel to fire.
Stigmas surrounding women openly discussing sex have been one of the biggest challenges to overcome in our current practice.
While things are improving and changing for the better in urban areas, sadly not much can be said about rural areas.
Women’s sexual health is largely still limited by cultural and social barriers which here at Universal Clinic we strive to break as we are the leading women’s health clinic in Malaysia.
One of the key factors in improving women’s sexual health would be to start with sexual education.
It is important to inculcate sexual education as part of the school syllabus to help cultivate a more positive view towards sexual health. Apart from just schools, it is also helpful to educate communities to spread awareness about sexual health.
It is imperative to encourage women to seek professional help when needed and not shy away. There are no such things as silly questions or doubts when it comes to our bodies.
While the internet is a great resource for gaining information about our ailments/symptoms, it is still a poor replacement for a qualified medical professional who helps navigate your concerns.
Visit Your Nearest Women’s Health Clinic
In summary, sexual health is not just about physical well-being, it also encompasses the right to healthy and safe relationships, safe sex, inclusive health services and access to resources.
The team at Universal Clinic provides the best quality of care to women and men alike free of judgment as well as bias. Do not shy away from taking control of your sexual health and get in touch with us today.
