Information on Sexual Health

Sexuality is a big part of being human. Love, affection and sexual intimacy all play a role in healthy relationships. They also contribute to your sense of well-being. A number of disorders can affect the ability to have or enjoy sex, including erectile dysfunction and female sexual problems. Concerns about infertility or fear of unplanned pregnancy can also come into play.

Sexual disorders can sometimes be prevented from occurring in the first place. Parents who communicate openly and honestly with children about sexual issues may help prevent them from developing anxiety and guilt that may later lead to sexual disorders. Open communication between sexual partners is also helpful. People who have experienced abuse or other sexual violence may develop a sexual disorder as a result of their trauma.

As part of our comprehensive strategy to improve the sexual health of the population, the Department of Health is working to reduce the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, reduce unintended pregnancies (particularly teenage pregnancies) and improve the range, access to and quality of service provision. On these pages you will find more information and guidance on sexual health including contraception, abortion and STIs and HIV.

Millions upon millions of men around the world are dissatisfied with some aspect of their male sexual health. Some are discontent with the size of their penis while others are disappointed with the low volume of semen they ejaculate during intercourse and yet there are others who are disappointed with sub par erections and lack of male libido. Not to worry! Our site is specifically designed to help men explore the various male enhancement options available for improving male sexual health.

Societal attitudes toward sexuality in later life are troubling. A great number believe that far fewer mature men and women have sex than actually do. Many feel that after a certain age, sexuality becomes an insignificant or indifferent part of life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most older people experience some interest in sexual intimacy. Many people are sexually intimate well into their 80s and beyond. We do not all of a sudden become asexual beings; our capacity for sexual intimacy will be with us our entire lives.

Penile erection is sustained by holding back and trapping the blood in the penis. The enlarged penis compresses the blood vessels that drain the blood out of penis to the tunica albuginea. But when an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) becomes active, the cGMP level falls, followed by corpora cavernosa muscle contraction. As a result the blood in-flow is stopped and the veins drain the blood out of the penis and the erection goes away.

Contraception: Improving access to contraceptive services and to the full range of methods is one of the key aims of the Government's White Paper - Choosing Health: making healthy choices easier. This section contains documents and guidance on contraception policy.

As we all approach later life, two of the things which brought us the greatest joy - our children and/or our careers - are no longer as prevalent in our every day. This means that our personal relationships take on an increased importance. It is a way of solidifying our relationship with our partner and taking refuge from the sometimes harsh reality of the world. Sex is a way to affirm the love of life. It is an expression of the satisfaction gained from the present. It expresses the closeness of our deepest relationships and is an important measure of the quality of life.