Sexual and Reproductive Health

Editor: Justin Healey ISBN 978 1 920801 91 5 Year 2008 Price: $20.95		Sexual and Reproductive Health Volume 281, Issues in Society This book reviews the current state of Australians’ sexual and reproductive health and the factors involved in maintaining health in a broad range of health conditions and behaviours, including: awareness and practice of safer sex practices; contraceptive choices; HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections and diseases; conditions relating to sexual dysfunction; underage and teen sex; unexpected pregnancy issues; sexual abstinence; fertility, infertility and IVF options; and the major reproductive health issues for both men and women. Chapter 1 Australians' Sexual and Reproductive Health Sex and your health; Sex, lies and statistics; Sexual health check-ups; Sexual and reproductive health of young Australians; Women and sexual and reproductive health; A user's guide: what every man needs to know. Chapter 2 Sexually Transmitted Infections, Contraception and Pregnancy Options Sexually transmitted infections; Younger women dice with unsafe sex; About HIV/AIDS; HIV rates predicted to soar; Sexually transmitted infections; Love bugs; Contraception; Unplanned pregnancy study sparks call for safe-sex campaign; Teenage pregnancy; Abortion rates in decline; Pregnancy – your options. Chapter 3 Safe Sex Education Safe sex; Safe sex: are we getting the message?; What happened to safe sex?; Sex education — tips for parents; SEX you decide; Talking to your partner about sex; Consent and sex. Glossary; Facts and Figures; Additional Resources; Index

		FAST FACTS from this volume
There are lots of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some cause mild genital irritation like pubic lice (crabs). Other infections like genital herpes stay in your body for life. If left untreated others such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea might result in you not being able to have children. Young people can contract the HIV virus. People with HIV can develop AIDS-related illnesses and die. The 3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002 found that a large proportion of students had experienced some form of sexual activity (deep kissing, genital touching/ being touched, giving/receiving oral sex), with Year 12 students being more likely to have experienced each type of sexual activity. In the survey, 77% of Year 10 students and 86% of Year 12 students reported experiencing deep kissing, and 61% of Year 10 students and 75% of Year 12 students reported that they have touched others or been touched on the genitals. In 2002, 26% of Year 10 students and 47% of Year 12 students reported that they had had sexual intercourse. Both in Years 10 and 12, slightly more males than females reported having had sexual intercourse. (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002). Between 1992 and 2002, the proportion of young people in Years 10 and 12 (in government schools) who had had sexual intercourse increased from 35% to 42% (an increase from 23% to 32% among Year 10 students and an increase from 48% to 55% among Year 12 students). (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002). The majority of Year 10 and Year 12 students reported attraction only to the opposite sex – 95% of males and 91% of females in Year 10 and 96% of males and 91% of females in Year 12. Attraction to people of the same sex only was very low for young males and females in Years 10 and 12. Young females were more likely to report being attracted to people of both sexes than young males (6-7% compared with 2%). (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002). The Australian Study of Health and Relationships found that a high proportion of young people at risk of unplanned pregnancy used some form of contraception (90% of 16-19 and 94% of 20-29 year olds). The main forms of contraception used by young people aged 16-19 and 20-29 were the contraceptive pill and condoms. Approximately 5% were using withdrawal as a method of contraception. Results from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships indicate that in 2002, around 1 in 10 sexually active young people in Years 10 and 12 did not use any contraception at the last sexual encounter (9% for males and 10% for females). The most common form of contraception reported by students was condoms (71% for males and 59% for females), although a considerable proportion of students reported contraceptive pills (31% for males and 42% for females). The number of new HIV diagnoses has dropped over the last decade. In 2006, there were 998 new HIV diagnoses, compared to 1,418 new diagnoses in 1991. It is estimated that up to one in eight people carry the virus that causes genital herpes. It is estimated that 30-40% of sexually active people in the developed world are infected with genital HPV, with most being unaware they are infected. Chlamydia is the most common form of bacterial sexually transmitted infection in Australia. More than half (53%) of the cases diagnosed in 2006 occurred in those aged 20-29. In the past nine years the rate of reported chlamydia increased dramatically, from 9,206 cases in 1997 to 47,030 cases in 2006. A 2007 survey of more than 1000 women aged between 16 and 25 found that 77 per cent had had sex without a condom at least once, while 84 per cent who had had several partners in the past six months also had had unprotected sex. The rate of chlamydia infection has been increasing 20 per cent a year since 1998, NSW figures show. Rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis are also rising. HIV rates will rise by up to 73% over the next seven years in Australia partly because fewer people are using condoms, according to a 2008 study that uses mathematical modelling to predict infection trends. A study found 60% of Australian women who have unplanned pregnancies were using the contraceptive pill or condoms. Sexual health was also compromised as more than half did not worry about sexually transmitted infections when choosing contraception. Almost a third of accidental pregnancies ended in abortion. The 2008 research found one in 10 women was uncomfortable asking her partner to wear a condom. Not using protection puts women at risk of infertility through sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia. Cases have risen from 17,000 nationally in 2000 to 50,000 last year. Australia's teenage fertility rate is substantially less than the United States of America (51.1 in 1998), England and Wales (26.8 in 2003) and New Zealand (25.6 in 2002). In 2003, an estimated 84,218 induced abortions were performed, with women aged 0-19 representing 13,855 (16.5%) of this total number. Findings from a study of women's reproductive history has found that less than 5% of women born in the 1980s have had an abortion – a significant drop from the 14% seen in women 10 years older.

There are lots of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some cause mild genital irritation like pubic lice (crabs). Other infections like genital herpes stay in your body for life. If left untreated others such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea might result in you not being able to have children. Young people can contract the HIV virus. People with HIV can develop AIDS-related illnesses and die.
The 3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002 found that a large proportion of students had experienced some form of sexual activity (deep kissing, genital touching/ being touched, giving/receiving oral sex), with Year 12 students being more likely to have experienced each type of sexual activity. In the survey, 77% of Year 10 students and 86% of Year 12 students reported experiencing deep kissing, and 61% of Year 10 students and 75% of Year 12 students reported that they have touched others or been touched on the genitals.
In 2002, 26% of Year 10 students and 47% of Year 12 students reported that they had had sexual intercourse. Both in Years 10 and 12, slightly more males than females reported having had sexual intercourse. (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002).
Between 1992 and 2002, the proportion of young people in Years 10 and 12 (in government schools) who had had sexual intercourse increased from 35% to 42% (an increase from 23% to 32% among Year 10 students and an increase from 48% to 55% among Year 12 students). (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002).
The majority of Year 10 and Year 12 students reported attraction only to the opposite sex – 95% of males and 91% of females in Year 10 and 96% of males and 91% of females in Year 12. Attraction to people of the same sex only was very low for young males and females in Years 10 and 12. Young females were more likely to report being attracted to people of both sexes than young males (6-7% compared with 2%). (3rd National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002).
The Australian Study of Health and Relationships found that a high proportion of young people at risk of unplanned pregnancy used some form of contraception (90% of 16-19 and 94% of 20-29 year olds). The main forms of contraception used by young people aged 16-19 and 20-29 were the contraceptive pill and condoms. Approximately 5% were using withdrawal as a method of contraception.
Results from the Australian Study of Health and Relationships indicate that in 2002, around 1 in 10 sexually active young people in Years 10 and 12 did not use any contraception at the last sexual encounter (9% for males and 10% for females). The most common form of contraception reported by students was condoms (71% for males and 59% for females), although a considerable proportion of students reported contraceptive pills (31% for males and 42% for females).
The number of new HIV diagnoses has dropped over the last decade. In 2006, there were 998 new HIV diagnoses, compared to 1,418 new diagnoses in 1991.
It is estimated that up to one in eight people carry the virus that causes genital herpes.
It is estimated that 30-40% of sexually active people in the developed world are infected with genital HPV, with most being unaware they are infected.
Chlamydia is the most common form of bacterial sexually transmitted infection in Australia. More than half (53%) of the cases diagnosed in 2006 occurred in those aged 20-29. In the past nine years the rate of reported chlamydia increased dramatically, from 9,206 cases in 1997 to 47,030 cases in 2006.
A 2007 survey of more than 1000 women aged between 16 and 25 found that 77 per cent had had sex without a condom at least once, while 84 per cent who had had several partners in the past six months also had had unprotected sex.
The rate of chlamydia infection has been increasing 20 per cent a year since 1998, NSW figures show. Rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis are also rising.
HIV rates will rise by up to 73% over the next seven years in Australia partly because fewer people are using condoms, according to a 2008 study that uses mathematical modelling to predict infection trends.
A study found 60% of Australian women who have unplanned pregnancies were using the contraceptive pill or condoms. Sexual health was also compromised as more than half did not worry about sexually transmitted infections when choosing contraception. Almost a third of accidental pregnancies ended in abortion. The 2008 research found one in 10 women was uncomfortable asking her partner to wear a condom. Not using protection puts women at risk of infertility through sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia. Cases have risen from 17,000 nationally in 2000 to 50,000 last year.
Australia's teenage fertility rate is substantially less than the United States of America (51.1 in 1998), England and Wales (26.8 in 2003) and New Zealand (25.6 in 2002).
In 2003, an estimated 84,218 induced abortions were performed, with women aged 0-19 representing 13,855 (16.5%) of this total number.
Findings from a study of women's reproductive history has found that less than 5% of women born in the 1980s have had an abortion – a significant drop from the 14% seen in women 10 years older.