Sexual Health
Your sexual health plays an important role in your overall well-being. Reid Health OB/GYNs offer the care you need to have safe, fulfilling relationships.
Care for all aspects of your sexual health and wellness
A healthy sex life is vital to strong relationships and your overall health and well-being — and sexual health is important throughout your life. The women’s health providers at Reid Health in Richmond, Indiana, have the expertise, compassion, and understanding you need to address conditions that interfere with sexual health.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
STIs are caused by bacteria and viruses, and you can get or spread them through all forms of sexual contact, including oral sex and sharing sex toys. STIs do not discriminate — anyone who is sexually active can get one.
STI prevention
Our primary care and women’s health providers are dedicated to helping you prevent STIs, some of which can have serious consequences.
Using condoms is one effective way of preventing many STIs. Receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is another. The most common STI in the U.S., HPV has been linked to many types of cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against the strain linked to cervical cancer, and you can receive it up to age 26 (and possibly later in life if you have certain risk factors).
Talk to your Reid provider about HPV vaccination.
STI testing and treatment
STIs don’t always cause symptoms. You might not know you have one unless you get tested.
How often you have STI tests depends on your age, number of sexual partners, and other factors. Being open and honest with your provider helps you know when to get tested. Your provider won’t judge you — their main concern is making sure you receive treatments if needed and stay as healthy as possible.
Our providers offer personalized STI treatment based on your diagnosis and health. Many STIs can be effectively treated with antibiotics or antiviral medications.
Sexual health and safety
All sexual relationships should be positive and consenting. However, sexual violence affects women across Indiana and Ohio., and a woman's health and well-being can be permanently affected by these events.
If you’re worried about your safety or in an abusive relationship, the first step is talking to someone you trust. You can contact many organizations, such as the National Domestic Violence Helpline at (800) 799-7233. Your Reid provider can also connect you with helpful resources.
Mental health counseling
Whether you need to process sexual violence or discuss another psychological issue that impacts your sex life, your Reid provider can connect you with a <link: Medical Services (A to Z) / Women’s Health Overview / Women’s Wellness / Mental Health>mental health </link>professional who can help. Trained counselors can work with you to process previous trauma and abuse, and find treatments for mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, that can affect your feelings about sex.
Family planning
Your family plans tie directly to your sexual health, and providers can help you navigate your options for achieving your family goals. You might never want to have children, or you might want to preserve your fertility so you can have children later in life. If you struggle with infertility, our providers can walk you through fertility treatments and other options to help you have children.
Birth control options
Our OB/GYNs offer all types of birth control, and they can help you choose the option that fits your needs and lifestyle. Birth control can be a very personal decision, and we’re here to guide you in making a decision that works for you.
Our providers can prescribe or offer counseling related to:
- Barrier methods: These include condoms, sponges, spermicides, and other products available over-the-counter.
- Birth control pills: You take these daily, and for some women, they can help with skin problems, heavy bleeding, and other gynecologic conditions.
- Injections, patches, and rings: You can replace patches and rings monthly, and you receive the injection every three months, which might make them a better fit than the birth control pill.
- Implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs): These products last for years, offering a long-term solution for pregnancy prevention.
Infertility care
Infertility can be emotionally challenging. Our women’s health providers offer comprehensive care for conditions that cause infertility and infertility services to help you conceive.
We offer a variety of fertility treatments, including medications, surgeries to treat related health conditions, and in vitro fertilization. Reid also has an innovative program called NaProTechnology, in which you track different biological markers that affect fertility.
If it turns out your partner has male infertility, our urologists can help your care team to ensure you both receive the care you need to have children.