Sharni
11-04-2003, 10:15 PM
Oct. 31, 2003 -- Sex, breasts, monthly periods -- women's health conversations cover all sorts of intimate topics. But when it comes to their vaginas, women draw the line.
Despite the popularity of the play, "Vagina Monologues," women still shy away from talk about "down there," according to a survey from the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, conducted by The Harris Poll.
Researchers polled 1,117 women aged 18 to 44 about their attitudes on women's health topics and found:
73% said that the vagina is a shocking topic
[/b]Less than half[/b] have ever performed a self-exam of their vagina
One in four has not looked at her vagina in the past year
47% said that discussions about the vagina should be held in private
Only one in 10 women said that there is no shame in having discussions about vaginas
Only 14% said that women are as comfortable talking about their vaginas as men are about penis-related issues
While many women still use words like "down there" and "crotch," 65% said that women's health researchers have not given proper attention to vaginal health, the survey shows.
And while the majority of women surveyed had perceived their vagina as private, their spouses or significant others perception of their vagina was sexy, beautiful, or amazing.
"Women need to become more comfortable with their bodies, especially talking about sexual health," says Margaret Thompson, MD, founder of Renaissance Women's Group based in Austin. "The vagina is a critical aspect of women's health."
A Woman's Friend
The vagina is actually a woman's friend and an optimal site for the body to get medications, Thompson says. Vaginal rings, gels, and suppositories exist for contraceptives, virus-transmission prevention drugs, and other drugs.
When drugs are administered vaginally, they can be given at a lower dose. Lower-drug dose means less chance of side effects. Steady drug levels in the blood occur when drugs are administered vaginally, which means that dosages can be reduced because there are no peaks and valleys in hormone levels.
Also, because vaginally delivered drugs bypass the intestinal system, there is less problems with interactions with other drugs.
"The more we know about our bodies, the more options become available to us," Thompson says. Women's health programs should focus on education about the vagina, she says
Despite the popularity of the play, "Vagina Monologues," women still shy away from talk about "down there," according to a survey from the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, conducted by The Harris Poll.
Researchers polled 1,117 women aged 18 to 44 about their attitudes on women's health topics and found:
73% said that the vagina is a shocking topic
[/b]Less than half[/b] have ever performed a self-exam of their vagina
One in four has not looked at her vagina in the past year
47% said that discussions about the vagina should be held in private
Only one in 10 women said that there is no shame in having discussions about vaginas
Only 14% said that women are as comfortable talking about their vaginas as men are about penis-related issues
While many women still use words like "down there" and "crotch," 65% said that women's health researchers have not given proper attention to vaginal health, the survey shows.
And while the majority of women surveyed had perceived their vagina as private, their spouses or significant others perception of their vagina was sexy, beautiful, or amazing.
"Women need to become more comfortable with their bodies, especially talking about sexual health," says Margaret Thompson, MD, founder of Renaissance Women's Group based in Austin. "The vagina is a critical aspect of women's health."
A Woman's Friend
The vagina is actually a woman's friend and an optimal site for the body to get medications, Thompson says. Vaginal rings, gels, and suppositories exist for contraceptives, virus-transmission prevention drugs, and other drugs.
When drugs are administered vaginally, they can be given at a lower dose. Lower-drug dose means less chance of side effects. Steady drug levels in the blood occur when drugs are administered vaginally, which means that dosages can be reduced because there are no peaks and valleys in hormone levels.
Also, because vaginally delivered drugs bypass the intestinal system, there is less problems with interactions with other drugs.
"The more we know about our bodies, the more options become available to us," Thompson says. Women's health programs should focus on education about the vagina, she says