“[Girls] have told by society that sex is great but that’s not their experience. They don’t know how to talk about that disconnect, there’s a certain amount of shame that shuts down their voice….for me, sexual empowerment for girls is helping them to find a voice in their sexual relationships.”
In a compelling TED Talk video, nurse practitioner Jane Epstein makes the case that our efforts are sadly lacking with it comes to talking to teen girls and young women. In an episode of ASHA’s podcast with Ms. Epstein, we delve deeper into the topic, discussing not only what to say when talking to young females about sex, but how to help them speak up for themselves.
Jane Epstein is a Yale graduate and a clinician who sees teenagers at a high school-based health clinic where, as part of comprehensive health care, she provides sexual health care including contraception services to teens.
About 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and 600,000 cases of gonorrhea are diagnosed in the United Sates each year. A new study suggests that these patients may not be following through with STI treatment or getting the right antibiotics.
A clinical trial of a new antibiotic found that it works just as well as a current drug regimen for treating gonorrhea infections. This is important because the bacteria that causes gonorrhea has become resistant to most existing antibiotics.
You have probably heard that HPV can cause cervical cancer. But did you know that it can also cause cancers of the mouth, tongue, and throat?
There’s new research to suggest that the birth control pill can protect female athletes from ACL tears which is one of the most common knee injuries. While this may sound far-fetched, the science behind it is very interesting.
The FDA just approved a new, fully at-home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The tests, which is only for women, will be available without a prescription. Users can collect their own sample and have results in less than 30 minutes.
A new study of more than 200,000 women found that women who had ever taken the pill had a 26% lower risk of ovarian cancer.
Does your child feel it’s okay to talk with you about sex and sexual health? If not, have you thought about who will answer your child’s questions? Only you can tell your child that it’s okay to ask you questions. You want to become askable!
Many methods of birth control that are available today rely on hormones like those that our bodies make naturally. Hormonal methods come in many different forms—from pills to patches to shots—but all of them essentially work the same way.
ASHA believes that all people have the right to the information and services that will help them to have optimum sexual health. We envision a time when stigma is no longer associated with sexual health and our nation is united in its belief that sexuality is a normal, healthy, and positive aspect of human life.
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