With the rampage of AIDS and HIV infections sweeping across America, it is especially important to get tested annually or semi-annually based on your activity. Even if you only have one partner, getting tested keeps you safe and sure. The following list includes free testing centers by state, and will be updated frequently to meet your needs.
As girls progress into women, then into mothers – it is common to hear popular myths and urban legends regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Many of these are far-fetched and unrealistic – but have been carried from so many generations, some are bound to believe. The goal today is to look into one such myth, and find out what is truth and what is fiction.
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Does Semen Induce Labor?
“I tell my patients to do that all the time,” says researcher Terry Harper, MD. Harper, who now practices maternal fetal medicine in Albuquerque. Although there’s no proof sex can start labor, there is a good reason why it might. Harper says sex releases prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that are like the medications used to induce labor. And it won’t hurt to try!
“I think sex is a great idea,” says New York midwife Elizabeth Stein, CNM. Make sure your water has not broken and your doctor or midwife has given you the green light. She adds that it’s important for the man to ejaculate inside the vagina. “This ejaculate contains prostaglandins which stimulate the cervix … possibly leading to contractions.”
Researchers often present conflicting findings in regards to non-medicinal remedies to certain medical issues, and urban legends are no different.
But few studies have ever investigated whether sex really can initiate labor, and the small amount of existing evidence was inconclusive. Dr. Tan Peng Chiong, an obstetrics and gynecology professor at the University of Malaya (Malaysia) and his colleagues write in the obstetrics and gynecology journal BJOG. Tan said the belief also probably came from “the deep seated folk perception that intercourse in pregnancy may be unsafe and may cause pregnancy expulsion or miscarriage despite fairly replete evidence to the contrary.”
Tan assisted in conducting an experiment to find out whether sex had any impact on inducing labor.
“The rates of induced labor were similar in both groups: 22 percent of those advised to have sex and 20.8 percent of the other group had inductions, a difference so small it is likely to have been driven by chance.
Pregnancy also lasted an average of 39 weeks for both groups.”
These findings are somewhat inconclusive, so research still continues in this realm.
How the Chemicals Work
Other Urban Legends:
There are other myths and legends that have been linked to inducing labor, but do not have enough research behind them to verify the claims. If you are considering any of them, be sure to consult with your doctor before trying anything.
Nipple stimulation. Stimulating the nipples releases the hormone oxytocin, which naturally triggers contractions, but the cervix must already be ripe for this to work. Too much nipple stimulation also can produce very strong contractions that can actually be dangerous to the baby.
Herbal remedies. A number of herbs, including blue cohosh and black cohosh, have been touted for triggering labor, but there isn’t enough evidence to prove they work. What’s more, herbs can be dangerous if not used properly, so don’t take any herb for inducing labor without first talking to your doctor.
Castor oil. Research shows castor oil probably won’t do anything to induce labor, but it probably will irritate your gastrointestinal tract enough to make you feel sick to your stomach.
Walking. It’s always a good idea to stay active throughout your pregnancy, but studies haven’t proved that walking can induce labor.
Unless your doctor feels that it’s time to induce labor for medical reasons, it’s always better to let nature take its course.
It seems like a far-fetched idea, but what an interesting concept! In a world where many adults wish to be parents but cannot, millions of children around the world are in dire need of loving homes. TV host Aamir Liaquat Hussain gives away abandoned babies as prizes during his prime-time game show – with mixed feedback from people all over the planet.
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From CNN:
His show — Aman Ramazan — has been dubbed Pakistan’s version of The Price Is Right, with members of the 500-strong audience receiving prizes in exchange for answering questions on the Quran.
The giveaway bonanza includes motorbikes, microwave ovens, washing machines and fridges.
He also cooks while men sing Islamic hymns and discusses religion with children in a garden full of rabbits, snakes and goats.
The baby girls given away on the show were found by an NGO, the Chhipa Welfare Association, which says it receives up to 15 abandoned babies a month.
“Our team finds babies abandoned on the street, in garbage bins — some of them dead, others mauled by animals. So why not ensure the baby is kept alive and gets a good home?” said Ramzan Chhipa, who runs the organization.
“We didn’t just give the baby away. We have our own vetting procedure. This couple was already registered with us and had four or five sessions with us.”
We’ve created a symbol of peace and love, that’s our show’s theme — to spread love. I’m setting an example. Giving a childless couple an abandoned child. But, the couple didn’t know they would be handed a newborn when they were invited to take part in the show and paperwork was not processed before the live broadcast.
So this unsuspecting couple went on the show expecting to win a new microwave came home with a new baby? You’d think they’d be pissed? But they weren’t!
“I was really shocked at first. I couldn’t believe we were being given this baby girl,” said Suriya Bilqees, now a mother of a two-week old. “I was extremely happy.”
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Not everyone in Pakistan is pleased with the baby give-a-way. Many feel that it’s a ratings gimmick and unscrupulous. Outraged people flocked to the NGO’s Facebook page to leave comments of disgust:
“shame shame. First u call the baby “unwanted” then u gift it on TV. U belittle human beings. u insult “Insaan”. U Chippa U r Cheap. u action is cheap. u went to cheap show of cheap Aamir Hamaqat.”
“Shame on you to make it a game show event, what will these children feel when they will grow up. Do a good deed with your right hand that left would not know. نیکی ایک ہاتھ سے کر کے دوسرے کو خبر نہ ہو، Children are not game show trophies Sir, you are reckless. Saving babies on one hand and vying for cheap publicity on the other.”
But Hussein believes he’s doing something good during Ramadan. “These are the disenfranchised babies that grow up to be street kids and used for suicide bombing attacks. We have tried to show an alternative. Telling people to take these kids off the rubbish on the streets, raise them and make them a responsible citizen, not to destroy society through terrorism,” he said.
Imagine this happening in the U.S. You go up to spin the wheel on “The Price Is Right”, and it stops on “Baby”.
Bawer Aksal, 49, of North Bergen was convicted of one count of sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact following a five-day trial in federal court. The jury in Newark deliberated seven hours before returning its guilty verdicts, according to a statement from the federal prosecutor’s office.
Aksal was arrested in August 2012 when he arrived aboard a flight from Phoenix, Arizona, to Newark Liberty International Airport. According to the statement, Aksal was sitting in the middle seat in a row of three seats, while the victim was next to him in the window seat.
The incident took place about an hour before landing, when the aisle passenger looked to his right and saw Aksal “half into the victim’s seat, with his body against the victim’s. His right arm around the back of her and his left hand beneath a sweater that was draped over her.”
The victim awoke to find Aksal’s hands insider her shirt and shorts, and she struggled out of his grasp, the prosecutor’s statement said.
Both the aisle passenger and the victim immediately headed to the back of the plane to report what happened to the flight attendants.
The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over all sexual abuse cases that occur on U.S. flights, as such events are outside the jurisdiction of any state.
Aksal now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Mr. Aksal is very disappointed,” Aksal’s attorney, Robert J. Degroot. told CNN after the verdict. “He felt that the trial presented evidence that did not meet the necessary burden. He has faith in the American system and he feels that he will ultimately be vindicated.”
Aksal is scheduled to be sentenced in court on October 23.
There are a plethora of products pregnant women are instructed to steer away from; most of which consist of foods and chemicals. However, as the body changes due to hormones, women can find themselves on a spectrum of sexual arousal. Some find themselves producing more natural lubrication, while some produce far less than before pregnancy.
Women may be concerned about whether lubrication can be supplemented during pregnancy, and the answer is yes. Water-based lubricants are recommended, but it is always best to consult with your physician when selecting a product for use while pregnant.
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Lots of women insist that pregnancy makes them friskier than ever. (Others want no part of the act that “got them into this mess in the first place,” but we’re not talking about them here.) Still, it’s hard to feel your sexy best when your lady-parts are parched — and pregnancy-related hormonal changes can cause vaginal dryness in some women, explains Hilda Hutcherson, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center and the author ofWhat Your Mother Never Told You About S-e-x. (Those same hormones can cause excessive lubrication, so remember that the spectrum of “normal” is ginormous.) If you fall into the parched-and-playful category, water-based lubricants aren’t only safe but recommended.
So what about putting other things down there? Oil-based and warming lubes are fine, too. But pregnant women are often sensitive to the warming lubes, so use a tiny amount first to test that it doesn’t irritate you. As far as sex toys are concerned, those are also considered safe during pregnancy, as long as your doc has given you the okay to have sex.
They seem so lifelike and the details are amazing – how do they make them?
It’s definitely no simple process; the time and effort that goes into these dolls make the thousands of dollars they cost completely worth it. Matt McMullen, the creator of the Real Doll gives a peek inside the intimate world of sex dolls…
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The RealDoll is designed to recreate the appearance, texture, and weight of the human female and male form. Their primary function is to serve as sex partners. This activity can be accompanied by certain preparations such as dressing them up in different types of clothing, changing wigs or makeup, and even adjusting body temperature by use of electric blankets or baths.
Early prototypes were made from solid latex with an interiorskeleton, but construction of the outer material was later switched to silicone. In June 2009, Abyss Creations switched from tin cure silicone to platinum silicone, which resulted in dolls that are less prone to tears and compression marks than older RealDolls.[1]
The current incarnation of the female RealDoll product was introduced in 1996.[2] In 2003, Abyss introduced the “Face-X” system, allowing any face to be interchangeable with any body. Multiple faces can then be attached one at a time to a single doll by the owner. As of 2011, there are nine female bodies and 16 female faces in the first product line. In 2009 the RealDoll 2 was introduced, which feature removable inserts for the mouth and vagina and faces that attach by magnets instead of Velcro. The line started with two female bodies and three female faces and currently (2013) offers ten faces and three bodies. Another female body is in development.[3]
“Charlie”, the first male RealDoll, was retired in 2008[4] and replaced with two body types and three head types. “Shemale” dolls may also be purchased from the company, although these must be custom ordered. Abyss also sells silicone toys such as female torso products and dildos among other offerings.
For a time, the company also offered customizations such as robotic hip actuators, finger skeletons (instead of the usual finger wires) and computer controlled speech feedback, but these expensive options are no longer available.
RealDolls are shipped to nearly every country in the world, with the majority in the United States. The three largest international markets are Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Since mid-2010 over 4000 dolls have been created and shipped.
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Not very surprisingly, there is a scientific term for this phenomena. Agalmatophilia (from the Greek agalma ‘statue’, and -philia φιλία = love) is a paraphilia involving sexual attraction to a statue, doll,mannequin or other similar figurative object. The attraction may include a desire for actual sexual contact with the object, a fantasy of having sexual (or non-sexual) encounters with an animate or inanimate instance of the preferred object, the act of watching encounters between such objects, or sexual pleasure gained from thoughts of being transformed or transforming another into the preferred object. Agalmatophilia may also encompass Pygmalionism (from the myth of Pygmalion), which denotes love for an object of one’s own creation.
One of the benefits to solo play is the ability to really take the time to get to know your body – what you like, where you like it, what you don’t like, etc. And the new Bunny Shine dual-action vibrator can help you discover all your favorite pleasure points. With a clitoral tickler, multiple speeds and functions, and inner pleasure beads down the rotating shaft, the Bunny Shine allows you to experiment with its different features and settings to uncover what exactly you like, and more importantly, what you love!
More than 10 years ago, these feminine, non-intimidating and satisfying bunny toys became all the rage after the ladies of Sex and the City staged an intervention for Charlotte, the most naive and conservative character, because she locked herself in her apartment for two weeks with her new-found love: her rabbit vibrator. Women went crazy for these toys after they premiered on the show, and the trend hasn’t stopped. And there’s good reason: with 24 possible settings, orgasms are limitless!
Every woman is different and experiences different kinds of pleasure and orgasms. Some women are able to orgasm with penetration alone, while many women need clitoral stimulation in order to reach climax. The great thing about the Bunny Shine is the rotating shaft, bunny-shaped clitoral stimulator and inner pleasure beads provide whatever pleasure you need to climax. Just insert the shaft until the bunny ears lay on top of your clitoris, and start experimenting with the different settings of the vibrator. Experience the sole clitoris vibration; then add the rotating shaft and pulsing inner pleasure beads. Increase the intensity as your body increases with pleasure.
Measuring 8 ½ inches in length and 1 ½ inches in diameter, this vibrator is perfect for the novice player or the sex-toy connoisseur. One warning: Try it once, and you may be the next woman needing an intervention.
Passion Tips:
No two pleasure points are exactly alike. A rotating shaft allows a woman to discover which areas of her vaginal walls enjoy the stimulation.
Start slow and easy before working your way up to the more intense levels of vibration.
The HPV epidemic has been widespread in media coverage for the past few years, as it has plagued the youth and caused other health complications including cervical cancer. Recent studies have shown that rates have dropped significantly compared to what experts expected. CNN’s Medical Producer Mat Sloan reports the details.
Via CNN.com
Cases of human papillomavirus (HPV) have significantly decreased since the advent of the HPV vaccine in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and numbers have outpaced even their greatest predictions.
“The prevalence of the types of HPV that commonly cause cervical cancer in women has dropped by about half in girls ages 14 to 19,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director. “That decline is even better than we had hoped for.”
Specifically, rates of HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 – the four types covered by the vaccines – have decreased by 56% in young girls.
Those numbers are surprising, said Frieden, because only about a third of girls have gotten all three recommended doses of the vaccine. He suggested that the extra immunity may come from girls who only got one or two doses, or so-called “herd immunity.” That occurs when those who have been vaccinated cause there to be less virus floating around, therefore lowering the risk for those who haven’t been vaccinated.
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But despite the good news, Frieden says the CDC had hoped that 80% of girls would be vaccinated by this point, and more needs to be done.
“This should be a wake-up call that we need to increase vaccination rates, because we can protect the next generation of girls from cancer caused by HPV,” said Frieden. “Fifty thousand women alive today will develop cervical cancer that could have been prevented if we had reached our goal of an 80% vaccination rate.”
Why aren’t more girls getting vaccinated? Frieden says the blame is split between doctors and parents.
“Providers are not consistently giving recommendations for vaccination and are not encouraging the vaccine at every (patient) encounter,” he said. “Parents commonly say they don’t think the vaccine is needed, or that their teen is not sexually active, or they have concerns about the vaccine.”
But, he said, parents may be missing the point.
“We vaccinate people well before they are exposed to an infection, as is the case with measles,” said Frieden. “Similarly, we want to vaccinate children well before they get exposed to HPV.”
Dr. Warner Huh, an associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who is not connected with this recent report, but did help develop the vaccine, says he was equally surprised by the data.
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“A drop of 56% in the HPV types contained within the vaccine is pretty substantial,” he said. “I don’t think anyone would have guessed we’d see a drop that high before this study.”
Huh also echoed Frieden’s concern about low vaccination rates. “I think we’re all surprised that you’d see a drop that high with a vaccine penetration that low,” he said.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection seen in the United States, and causes more than two-thirds of cervical cancer; it also contributes to head and neck cancers and anal cancers. HPV affects 79 million Americans, and more than 14 million new infections are seen each year.
To find out more about HPV and its symptoms, Click Here.
We’ve heard a lot of outlandish infection claims before; one of the most recent is that Rihanna’s “Riri Woo” lipstic by MAC caused a woman to get herpes (which appears to be caused by using an infected sample tester). However, world-renowned actor Michael Douglass says he contracted throat cancer by performing oral sex. It seems far-fetched, but it’s very much possible. The following article, courtesy of BusinessInsider.com explains why caution is important when sex is involved for anyone.
Michael Douglas Says His Cancer Was Caused By Oral Sex
Basic Instinct star Michael Douglas revealed that his throat cancer was apparently caused by performing oral sex.
In a surprisingly frank interview with the Guardian, the Hollywood actor, now winning plaudits in the Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra, explained the background to a condition that was thought to be nearly fatal when diagnosed three years ago.
Asked whether he now regretted his years of smoking and drinking, thought to be the cause of the disease, Douglas replied: “No. Because without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV [human papillomavirus], which actually comes about from cunnilingus.”
Stage O Cancer (Photo Credit)
Douglas, the husband of Catherine Zeta Jones, continued: “I did worry if the stress caused by my son’s incarceration didn’t help trigger it. But yeah, it’s a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer. And if you have it, cunnilingus is also the best cure for it.”
The actor, now 68, was diagnosed with cancer in August 2010, following many months of oral discomfort. But a series of specialists missed the tumour and instead prescribed antibiotics. Douglas then went to see a friend’s doctor in Montreal who looked inside his mouth using a tongue depressor.
“I will always remember the look on his face,” Douglas has previously said. “He said: ‘We need a biopsy.’ There was a walnut-size tumour at the base of my tongue that no other doctor had seen.”
Shortly afterwards he was diagnosed with stage four cancer (stage five is death) and embarked on an intensive eight-week course of chemotherapy and radiation. He refused to use a feeding tube, despite his palate being burnt on account of the treatment, and so lost 20kg (45lb) on a liquids-only diet. “That’s a rough ride. That can really take it out of you,” he told the Guardian. “Plus the amount of chemo I was getting, it zaps all the good stuff too. It made me very weak.”
The treatment worked and Douglas is now more than two years clear of cancer. He has check-ups every six months, he said, “and with this kind of cancer, 95% of the time it doesn’t come back”.
The cause of Douglas’s cancer had long been assumed to be related to his tobacco habit, coupled with enthusiastic boozing. In 1992, he was hospitalised for an addiction which some at the time claimed to be sex. Douglas himself denied this and said he was in rehab for alcohol abuse. He has also spoken of recreational drug use.
HPV, the sexually transmitted virus best known as a cause of cervical and anal cancer and genital warts, is thought to be responsible for an increasing proportion of oral cancers. Some propose that changes in sexual behaviour – a rise in oral sex in particular – are responsible. Such changes might be cultural, but could also be linked to fears about the safety of penetrative sex in the wake of the discovery of Aids.
Mahesh Kumar, a consultant head and neck surgeon in London, confirms that the last decade has seen a dramatic rise in this form of cancer, particularly among younger sufferers. Recent studies of 1,316 patients with oral cancer found that 57% of them were HPV-16 positive.
“It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that the HPV type 16 is the causative agent in oropharyngeal cancer,” said Kumar, who also testified to increased recovery rates among this kind of cancer sufferer. This would help explain why Douglas was given an 80% chance of survival, despite the advanced stage of his illness.
However, Kumar expressed scepticism that Douglas’s cancer was caused solely by HPV, and surprise at Douglas’s assertion that cunnilingus could also help cure the condition. “Maybe he thinks that more exposure to the virus will boost his immune system. But medically, that just doesn’t make sense.”
The GP Ann Robinson expressed interest in how confirmation of this association would affect the rollout of the HPV vaccine, which is currently only available in the UK to girls aged 12 and 13. “My main priority with diagnosing a patient with oral cancer is to get them referred as early intervention can be so crucial. Asking for a detailed sexual history would be inappropriate at that stage.”
Douglas has two children, aged 10 and 12, with his second wife, Catherine Zeta Jones, as well as an older son, Cameron, from a previous marriage. In 2010, Cameron was sentenced to five years in prison for drugs possession and dealing, and a year later had his sentence extended until 2018 after he pleaded guilty to possessing drugs in prison.
Douglas won his first Oscar aged 31 for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, then took a second in 1987 for his performance as the ruthless capitalist Gordon Gekko in Wall Street. He won rave reviews in Cannes recently, for his portrayal of the pianist Liberace.
Later this year he will be seen alongside Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro and Kevin Kline in the Hangover-style comedy Last Vegas. He currently has four projects in pre-production, including a dramatisation of the 1986 Reykjavik summit, in which he plays the former US president Ronald Reagan.
Many thanks to the ladies who attended my first Passion Party – it was a great success! Not only did we review the best in high-quality pleasure products, but we had awesome discussion. A few of you ladies utilized the Question and Answer section – and I am honored to answer those Awkward Questions here today. I hope you enjoy the video as well!
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Is Sperm Bad for Your Teeth?
The answer isYes and no.
Semen and spermatazoa contains sugars and proteins on which acid-forming bacteria may feed. Cervical mucous contains no such products, so cunnilingus is not a problem. The act of fellatio tends to promote saliva flow, but ingestion of semenal fluid should still be followed by vigorous oral rinsing soon after the act. Since sex is often the last thing we do before we go to sleep, and since saliva production declines throughout the night, it’s even more important to rinse following the ingestion of semen.
The safest thing to do with semen in your mouth is to swallow it or spit it out. When you swallow it the enzymes and acids in your stomach will quickly destroy any viruses and bacteria.
When you spit it out, use a mouthwash to remove any lingering semen. Don’t brush your teeth before or after oral sex. The brushing can cause slight bleeding of your gums leaving them open to infection from HIV.
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Does Anal Sex Feel Good?
The key is to be gentle. The anus is not as pliable or flexible as the vagina, and requires additional lubrication to ensure safe entry and comfort. Ease the tip of the penis in and breath deeply while relaxing your muscles.
Never force the penis (or anything) into the rectum.
Steady, fluid motions are highly suggested during beginner’s anal sex.
The bigger the penis, the more lubrication is suggested.
Sexual Anxiety – desire to perform well or finish when he does causes some women to reduce their focus on pleasure.
Incomplete/incorrect stimulation
Get Comfortable
A recent study published in the Journal of Sex Research suggests that women who feel embarrassed or ashamed about their bodies have less sexual experience and are less sexually assertive.
Foreplay is crucial
Foreplay stimulates the erogenous zones before sex. It basically lubricates the vagina so that penetration is comfortable.
Find out what YOU like.
Masturbation helps. Some women are more stimulated by penetration than clitoral stimulation and vice versa. The only way to know for sure is to try it out.
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My Man is Very Freaky…
Find out what he likes
If you pleasure him right, he’s more likely to be satisfied and need less.
Don’t be afraid to discuss sex with your partner. It’s better to get direct answers than to go feeling around in the dark. Pun intended.
Spice it up
Introduce new techniques
Try toys
Venture out of your comfort zone
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Can certain foods change the taste of cum?
Yes. The acids and bases in food change the PH and flavor.
