Sexuality after Childbirth: Analysis of the Experiences of Central African Women in Bangui

Introduction: In many societies, sexuality is still a taboo subject. In the Central African Republic, this topic is rarely discussed outside the context of gynecological consultations and infertility, whereas the sexual life of couples is often disrupted by the arrival of a child, particularly by the ordeal of childbirth. The aim of the study is to analyze the sexual experience of Central African women after childbirth in order to contribute to improving the health of the population, in particular that of mother and child, and to facilitate harmony within the couple. Methodology: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study covering the period from July 1 to August 30, 2023, at the maternity ward of the Center University Hospitalier Communautaire. The study concerned only women who had given birth between the second week and the sixth month postpartum. The sampling was exhaustive. Results: A total of 303 women agreed to take part in our study, aged between 15 and 44, more than half of whom had completed secondary school. The eagerness of the women to take part in the study shows that they are ready to express themselves about their sexuality despite certain biases linked to the method of patient selection. Resumption of sexual relations was initiated by the partners within six weeks in the vast majority of cases. Conclusion: Resumption of sexual intercourse was delayed, often at the partner’s initiative. Further studies are needed to understand the cultural, religious and psychological dimensions of postpartum sexuality in the Central African context.

Quality Provision of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Sexual and Reproductive Health in Resource Constrained Higher Education Institutions: A Case of Mukuba University

In an effort to ensure that Institutions of Higher Learning provide quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) at the level of Universities and Colleges, indeveloping countries such as Zambia, some universities have engaged in offering programmes and services in CSE and SRH. However, the provision of such programmes has had some limitations in terms of resources to ensure quality delivery. As a result, there was a need to examine the provision of CSE and SRH in a resource constrained Mukuba University. The study has three research objectives: 1) to examine the CSE and SRH programmes and services that are available at Mukuba University;2) to determine the actual resources available for the University to ensure quality provision of CSE and SRH to students;3) to use views and opinions of students and academics to examine the extent to which the CSE and SRH are reflected as standards by UNESCO and universities and colleges. The study took a pragmatic philosophy stance and convergent parallel research design of mixed methods;the primary approach is qualitative which will be analysed using thematic analysis, while the quantitative approach was secondary and the data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study envisaged some implications that include the rise in communicable diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), gender based violence, general lack of information on matters relating to CSE and SRH among students at Mukuba University. The policy implication is that policy makers will be able to formulate policies that address the needs and challenges of students in providing quality CSE and SRH programmes and services for a university that is constrained with resources. The study found that there was a need to contextualize the quality provision of CSE and SRH at an institutional level, for instance, Mukuba University has created an enabling environment for quality provision of CSE and SRH activities and programmes through training of the stakeholders. Further, it was found that in any successful programme, it is expected to meet certain challenges that might in some cases make it difficult to implement the programme as envisaged. In other words, this study has revealed that there are some drawbacks as well as lessons that Mukuba University could learn from other universities that offer CSE and SRH. The study provides a synergistic conceptual model that could be used in the implementation of CSE and SRH in colleges and universities for sustainability. It is hoped that this study has proved that even with limited resources a university can provide CSE and SHR programmes and services without depending on support from other external funders and cooperating partners.

Factors Influencing the Resumption of Postpartum Female Sexuality in Women Who Have Given Birth Once or Several Times at the Ignace Deen Maternity Hospital of the Conakry University Hospital Centre (Guinea)

Introduction: Sexuality in the postpartum period is a taboo subject that raises many questions, especially among women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of factors such as mode of delivery, parity, type of household and level of education on the resumption of sexuality, by comparing our results with those in the literature. Methods: This is a prospective descriptive and analytical study, which took place from 3 April to 2 June 2023 in the maternity ward of the Ignace Deen National Hospital of the University Hospital Centre of Conakry. The sample included married women who had given birth once or several times. Results: Of 118 married women who had given birth once or several times and who were questioned about their sexuality in the postpartum period, 75.42% (89 cases) stated that they had resumed sexual activity in the postpartum period. (The majority were aged 20 - 29 years (46.61%), pauci pares (51.69%), living in a monogamous household (88.14%), with secondary education (44.92%) and self-employed (38.98%). More than half (58.47%) of these women had a normal vaginal delivery with vulvo-perineal tear (5.80%), episiotomy (15.94%) and instrumental extraction (8.69%). The main reasons for resuming sexual activity were the desire to satisfy their partner (50.56%) and to maintain the harmony of the couple (29.21%). Resumption of sexual activity was more common in patients who had given birth by caesarean section (p = 0.007) and in patients with a higher level of education (p = 0.03). However, it was not influenced by parity or household type. Conclusion: Sexuality remains a taboo subject, and its resurgence in the postpartum period is influenced by the mode of delivery and the level of education and perception of women. Certain practices and complications related to childbirth can also influence the resumption of sexuality in the postpartum period.

Emergency Care for Children and Adolescents after Sexual Violence, in Brazil’s Capital, Brasilia

Objective: Sexual violence affects women of all ages but, more commonly, children and adolescents. This study aimed to identify the extent to which services are being provided at the hospitals responsible for the emergency care of children and adolescents who have suffered sexual violence and to determine whether there is any difference in the provision of such services as a function of the victim’s age. Method: This cross-sectional study investigated differences in the care received by female children and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence in a capital city, comparing the treatment given to girls under 15 with that given to adolescents of 15 to 19 years of age. The data were extracted from the State Department of Health database between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2016. Results: Children under 15 were much less likely to receive prophylaxis against HIV, sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis B, with the number of adolescent girls treated adequately corresponding to between twice and almost three times the number of children treated prophylactically. Only 10% of girls under 15 received emergency contraception. Conclusion: The lack of standard care established by the Ministry of Health highlights the need for urgent debates both locally and probably throughout the country, as the situation may be similar in other regions of the country.

Sexual Dimorphism and Female Reproductive Characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China

We studied sexual dimorphism in body size and shape and female reproductive characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China.In our sample the largest female and male were 61.1 and 55.2 mm snout-vent length(SVL),respectively.The mean SVL was larger in adult females(52.0 mm)than in adult males(48.3 mm).Juveniles were sexually dimorphic in head length but not in other examined morphological variables.Adult males were longer in head length and shorter in abdomen length and fore-limb length than adult females of the same SVL.Ontogenetic shifts in sexual dimorphism in body shape were evident,as revealed by the fact that morphological differences between the sexes were more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Females produced a single litter of 3–6 offspring per season from early August to early September.Litter size,litter mass and offspring(neonate)mass were positively related to female SVL.Neonate mass was independent of relative fecundity.From the above findings we draw three main conclusions.First,females are the larger sex in T.hainanus,and sexual dimorphism in body shape is more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Second,larger female T.hainanus produce more and larger offspring and thus heavier litters than smaller ones.Third,the offspring size-number trade-off does is not evident in T.hainanus.

Changes in sexual activity in young women during pregnancy

Objective:To conduct changes in sexual activity during pregnancy and its related factors in pregnant women.Methods:The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on pregnant women who referred to the women's clinic of Afzalipour Hospital in the southeast of Iran.Participants were included in the study through convenient sampling.The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of two parts of personal social information of the couple and questions to measure the level of sexual activity and the attitude of the subjects during pregnancy compared to before pregnancy.Results:201 Pregnant women were included.The average age of pregnant women was(27.3±6.1)years and their average gestational age was(24.7±11.8)years.More than 62%of women had decreased sexual activity.There was a significant relationship between the amount of changes in sexual activity and delivery time(P=0.013),abortion history(P=0.001)and premature birth history(P=0.002).Most pregnant women believed that sex during pregnancy caused damage to the fetus(67.7%).A decrease in the intensity of sexual desire was reported in 63%of pregnant women.More than 60%of the subjects did not consult with doctors and midwives with regards to sexual issues(63.5%).The most common reason for not consulting was not feeling the need(32%).Most women experienced back pain during(42.8%)and after(39.8%)intercourse.Conclusions:Changes in sex life during pregnancy are often caused by the lack of sexual knowledge and the increase in misconceptions among couples,which can affect the quality of relationships.The role of education is essential.Therefore,it is suggested that by including sexual counseling along with pregnancy care,wrong beliefs and information among women will be corrected.

Determinants of Sexual Activity among HIV-Infected Adolescents in Cameroon

Introduction: Adolescence is a period of transition to adulthood, including for HIV-infected adolescents (HIA), when sexual problems emerge. Few studies have been carried out on the sexuality of HIA. This study aimed to assess the sexual behavior of HIV-infected adolescents in Cameroon. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals in the cities of Yaoundé and Douala, from November 2019 to June 2020. All HIA aged 13 to 19 years followed in the study who knew their HIV status were included in the study after obtaining their assent and their parent’s consent. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, as well as sexual practices and the determinants of their sexual activity. A multivariate analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the different variables studied and the sexual activity of these adolescents. Results: Of 204 HIA enrolled in the study, 64 (31.7%) were sexually active, the mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 ± 2.8 years and the sex ratio was 0.94. Of the adolescents in the study, 75.7% of girls and 61.2% of boys had regular sexual activity, while 21.3% of girls and 35.4% of boys had multiple sexual relationships in the six months preceding the study. Nearly 16 (25.0%) of the sexually active HIA had more than 2 sexual encounters per month, 6 (9.3%) of these encounters had been paid for and 9 (27.2%) of the girls had already had at least one pregnancy. More than 7 out of 10 HIA (79.6%) had used a condom the last time they had sex. Age less than 18 years [OR = 11.1 (95% CI: 3.1 - 39.4), p = 0.001], lack of remuneration [OR = 9.8 (95% CI: 2.0 - 47.4), p = 0.001] and self-care were significantly associated with sexual activity in HIA, while school attendance was a protective factor. Self-funded HIAs were 21 times more likely to be sexually active [OR = 21.6 (95% CI: 2.3 - 179), p = 0.004]. Conclusion: More than a third of HIV-infected adolescents were sexually active and risky sexual practices were not negligible.

Sexual Assault and Its Psychopathological Repercussions in the Life of Female Students in Northeastern Benin (2023)

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychic repercussions of sexual assault among female students in Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among all students at the University of Parakou. The sampling technique was stratified non-proportional at two levels. The dependent variable was self-reported sexual assault. The psychopathological repercussions linked to sexual assault and explored in these students were: post-traumatic stress disorder assessed with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 (PCL-5) scale;and current depression screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. Results: A total of 376 female students from the University of Parakou meeting the inclusion criteria were surveyed. The average age of the subjects surveyed was 20.56 ± 2.46 years, with extremes of 16 and 32 years. A predominance of subjects under 25 was observed. The prevalence of sexual assault among female students at the University of Parakou was 10.63%. The types of aggression suffered were mostly rape (18 people;45%) and sexual touching (16 people;40%), and the aggressors were mainly friends/boyfriends (13;32.5%), family members (12;30.0%) and people from the house/neighborhood (9;22.5%). Psychological repercussions included depression in 72.5% (29) of cases, with mild depression in 30% (12), moderate depression in 37.5% (15) and severe depression in 5% (2). Anxiety disorders were present in 27.50% (11) of victims. The risk factors associated with sexual assault in these students were gravidity (p = 0.014;OR = 15.32), unhappy life events (p = 0.01;OR = 17.24), and age of first sexual intercourse (p = 0.016;OR = 4.608). Conclusion: One in ten female students in Parakou has been sexually assaulted. Once again, preventive action through effective sex education is a means of fighting the problem that should be prioritized for every girl and boy from an early age. Psychological support by specialists should be offered to any victim discovered without delay. Communication on the subject should be multiplied in all family and academic educational environments, from the lowest to the highest levels.

Molecular Diagnosis of Sexual Differentiation Disorders in Burkina Faso

Sex development anomalies represent a group of congenital pathologies in which chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical sex differentiation is atypical. The aim of our study was to use molecular biology techniques to elucidate sex in cases of anomalies of sexual differentiation in Burkina Faso. This cross-sectional study took place from March 2023 to June 2023. Oral and blood samples were collected respectively using sterile swabs and stored on Swab Kits and NUCLEIcardTM (https://www.copangroup.com/product-ranges/nucleic-card/) were used to determine gonosome profiles. Extraction was carried out using the DNA Swap solution Kit and the DNA IQ System Kit, and a PowerPlex? 21 kit (Promega) for amplification. The Applied Biosystems 9700 thermal cycler was used for PCR followed by 36 cm capillary electrophoresis in the Applied Biosystems 3130 prism sequencer. Sequence files were analyzed using GeneMapper IDX v. 3.2 software. Seven (07) patients were registered during the study period. There were 4 cases of XX DSD or 46, XX DSD and 3 cases of XY DSD or 46, XY DSD. The median age of our patients was 16 years. Civilian sex was male in 4 cases and female in 3. The most frequent reason for consultation was micropenis in 3 cases, followed by primary amenorrhea and sex ambiguity. There were 03 cases of discrepancy between genetic sex and civil sex. The accessibility of molecular diagnosis is little known to clinicians. XX DSDs or 46, XX DSDs were the most frequent (4/7) in our study. The problem facing this situation is early diagnosis to help prevent complications in Burkina Faso.

Flower development and sexual dimorphism in Vernicia montana

The mu oil tree(Vernicia montana Lour.) is a dioecious species, but the genetic mechanisms underlying its phenotypic sexual dimorphism are unclear. In this study, we determined two pivotal phases of sex differentiation of mu oil tree via morphological and histological analyses of unisexual flowers:(Ⅰ) differentiation of male or female primordia to produce staminate flowers(SFs) or transient hermaphrodite flowers(HFs),and(Ⅱ) complete abortion of stamens in transient HFs to generate pistillate flowers(PFs). A total of 1621 sex-biased genes were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis which exhibited elevated rates of protein evolution than unbiased genes. The female-biased genes were enriched in the production of defense compounds while male-biased genes were focused on the production of viable pollens. Transcriptomebased analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) between PFs and SFs in phase Ⅰ involved in abscisic acid(ABA), auxin(AUX), cytokinin(CK), ethylene(ET), and gibberellin(GA) biosynthesis and signaling showed higher expression levels in males than in females in general, whereas the DEGs involved in jasmonic acid(JA) and salicylic acid(SA) pathways displayed opposite expression patterns. Moreover,differentially expressed endogenous ABA, AUX, GAs, JA, and SA exhibited consistent biased expression patterns with the DEGs by UPLC-MSbased analysis. Exogenous application of an anti-ethylene plant growth regulator could promote the development of stamens in PFs and generated HFs. Comparative transcriptomic and hormonal analyses of PFs and SFs in phase Ⅱ indicated an increase in ET concentration when abortion of stamens in PFs occurred. This study suggested that phytohormones play key roles in sex dimorphism and ET may determine the development of stamens in PFs of mu oil tree, which provides an insight into plant sex differentiation mechanisms.

Prospective randomized study to evaluate and compare the post-procedural sexual function in patients undergoing semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones in three different operating room settings

Objective:To evaluate and compare the effect of semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy on post-procedural sexual function with three different operating room settings.Methods:In this prospective randomized study,consecutive sexually active patients with normal pre-operative sexual function undergoing uncomplicated semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones were randomized into three groups,with three different operating room settings.Procedure-related anxiety and sexual function were assessed pre-operatively using Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and Brief Sexual Function Inventory(in males)and Female Sexual Function Index-6(in females),respectively.All the participants were stented following the procedure,and the stent was removed after 3 weeks.Post-procedural sexual function and general discomfort were assessed and compared between three groups at 1 week,3 weeks,and 12 weeks.The effect of surgery-related anxiety,preoperative sexual function,age,and general discomfort(including stent-related discomfort)on post-procedural sexual function were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Totally,327 eligible patients were randomized into three groups.The group of patients who underwent the procedural with a screen separating the operating area from the patient vision,while the patient could watch the endoscopy through a separate monitor,had better post-procedural sexual function compared to those who had total vision of the operating area as well as to those whose eyes were blocked.This difference was statistically significant.This post-procedural reduction in sexual function could not be attributed to in situ stent alone.Conclusions:Our study showed that semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy can have significant negative effect on sexual function,which can be reduced with proper preoperative counseling and an ideal operating room settings.

Determination of Liability for Violation of “Sexual Autonomy” and Compensation for Mental Damages

At the legislative level in China,there has been insufficient theoretical preparation to explicitly include“sexual autonomy”within the scope of general personality rights.In handling the increasing number of disputes related to violations of“sexual autonomy,”judicial biases have emerged during the trial process when courts determine the attribute of the right to“sexual autonomy.”This situation necessitates a clear legal analysis of the concept and attributes of“sexual autonomy”to establish its essential attribute as a personality right,and,from the perspective of legal doctrine,enable the justification of the right to“sexual autonomy”as either a general personality right or other personality interests,thereby providing theoretical support for courts to“adjudicate according to law.”By delineating and categorizing instances of violations of“sexual autonomy,”the constitutive elements and fundamental characteristics of such violations can be clarified.By examining the legal norms governing civil litigation and civil litigation associated with criminal cases concerning violations of“sexual autonomy,”the responsibility determination,remedies,and existing regulatory loopholes regarding violations of“sexual autonomy,”especially in cases involving both criminal and civil matters,can be defined.Based on this foundation,the legal basis,determination mechanism,and compensation standards for claiming compensation for mental damages resulting from violations of“sexual autonomy”can be elucidated.

Smart Approaches to Efficient Text Mining for Categorizing Sexual Reproductive Health Short Messages into Key Themes

To promote behavioral change among adolescents in Zambia, the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, in collaboration with UNICEF, developed the Zambia U-Report platform. This platform provides young people with improved access to information on various Sexual Reproductive Health topics through Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages. Over the years, the platform has accumulated millions of incoming and outgoing messages, which need to be categorized into key thematic areas for better tracking of sexual reproductive health knowledge gaps among young people. The current manual categorization process of these text messages is inefficient and time-consuming and this study aims to automate the process for improved analysis using text-mining techniques. Firstly, the study investigates the current text message categorization process and identifies a list of categories adopted by counselors over time which are then used to build and train a categorization model. Secondly, the study presents a proof of concept tool that automates the categorization of U-report messages into key thematic areas using the developed categorization model. Finally, it compares the performance and effectiveness of the developed proof of concept tool against the manual system. The study used a dataset comprising 206,625 text messages. The current process would take roughly 2.82 years to categorise this dataset whereas the trained SVM model would require only 6.4 minutes while achieving an accuracy of 70.4% demonstrating that the automated method is significantly faster, more scalable, and consistent when compared to the current manual categorization. These advantages make the SVM model a more efficient and effective tool for categorizing large unstructured text datasets. These results and the proof-of-concept tool developed demonstrate the potential for enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of message categorization on the Zambia U-report platform and other similar text messages-based platforms.

中国性别失衡与Sexuality:一个新的研究视角与框架

比较了性别失衡研究与sexuality研究在学科层面、研究视角、研究对象以及政策实践等方面的异同,探讨了在性别失衡研究领域引入sexuality视角的可行性。最后,以sexuality视角为着眼点,围绕性别失衡的理论拓展和政策实践,进行了性别失衡研究框架的创新。新研究框架的提出可以开拓性别失衡研究视野,纳入新的研究主题和内容,也有利于在多元化性差异的社会变迁中,准确把握社会舆论走向和社会需求,提升性别失衡研究和实践工作的科学性和长期性。

男性性障碍与Sexuality理念在中国的普及(二)

五、某论坛部分网民的观念分析 本节材料均来自名为"猫头鹰两性论坛"的网上论坛,虽然只是少数网友的观点,但亦可以从一个侧面让我们了解两性知识比较丰富、热衷于两性问题思考与讨论的现代青年的性存在理念.这个论坛中曾有一次多人参与的关于男人性障碍的讨论,写作本文时,我又专门针对该论坛网友进行了一次明确的男人性障碍观点的调查.现分别做分析如下.

男性性障碍与Sexuality理念在中国的普及(一)

一、性存在理念及其它 Sexuality在英文中出现的历史不过三十年,它的出现与被普遍使用是西方性学长期发展的结果.这一词汇尚无公认的标准汉译,潘绥铭教授使用的"性存在"这一译法是目前流行最广的汉译.

KAP Survey of Turkish University Students on Sexuality,reproductive Health,Drug Addiction and Violence

Objective To investigate the attitudes, behaviours and reflections of the university students, on sexuality, reproductive health, violence, smoking, alcohol and drug use, and to find out their expectations from a youth health service. Methods A total of 5 300 students （1 880 girls, 3 420 boys）from various Jaculties of Kyrykkale University were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. Students completed the self-administered questionnaire as one of the researchers was present at the classroom. Research monitors five categories of priority health-risk behaviours among youth and young adults. Results Mean age of 3 420 male （64.5%） and 1 880female （35.5%） students were 20.3 years. Among all 4 380 （82,9%） students [1 350 girls （71.8%）, 3 030 boys （88.5%）] had some kinds of information about sexuality, however this dropped to 2 730 students （51.5%） within the context of adequacy. Friends were the major source （34%） for the first information on sexuality. Using a condom was the mostly heard method of contraception （46.9%） and interestingly 1.1% of the students had no knowledge on any of the protection methods. Among all 25.3% of the students （33.0% boys, 11.4% girls） had some kind of sexual intercourse, and within this group 58.8% experienced his/her first sexual relationship at 18 years of age and over; 53.9% were protected in all intercourses. Using a condom was the main way of protection for boys （63.7%） and pills were for the girls （73.9%）. None of the female students mentioned having an abortion but 8% had friends who had undergone abortion. Tobacco use was 35.1% among the group, and 8. 7% of the male and 3.6% of the female students were using drugs. Although 67. 4% students claimed they never witnessed violence between their parents, 43.2% witnessed violence among their siblings, 67.0% beween friends, 72.6% in the streets and 64.2% in the school. About 30.0% of the students reported having weight problems, and 14.7% admitted visiting a doctor for that problem. If there would be a service providedfor the adolescents in the university, 67% of the students would attend in case of a problem. Past experiences were important for us and we saw that among all 8% of the participants had some kind of sexual problem, within this group 50.7% felt uncomfortable during the visit and only 60.4% were satisfied with the care of the physician. Conclusion Our study results show the current situation of adolescents in Kyrykkale University and will be used to improve policies and programs to reduce priority healthrisk behaviours among youth of our and surrounding provinces and establish a youth friendly service in Kyrykkale University within this purposes.

Internet Through Mobile Phone and Its Cognitive and Behavioral Impact： Changing Sexuality

This study investigates how Internet media in the mobile phone influence on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of human sexuality. Sex is being deviating from socially accepted behaviors; ranging from bisexuality to homosexuality. Based on the qualitative methodology using particular case studies and textual analysis as well as survey research leading to quantitative methodology, this assumes of a transition of cultures as a result of the thorough impact of Internet towards society. In conclusion, lnternet implicit practices in the Mobile Phone in youth and teen societies storms a big change in sexuality, is also affecting towards the human cognitive and behavioral phases of the social life in traditional Buddhist rural village setting in Sri Lanka.

Endorphins, oxytocin, sexuality and romantic relationships: An understudied area

Endorphins are the body's natural opioids that are created and released by the central nervous system, hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Endorphins have a reputation for pain reduction, enhancing excitement or satisfaction, boosting confidence, enabling control of emotions and generating feelings of euphoria, and are involved in the natural reward cycle. There is also evidence in the literature suggesting the role of endorphins in sexuality(including sexual function and sexual behaviours), as they may regulate the release of sex hormones, prolactin and growth hormone, which are involved in sexual function and love. Endogenous oxytocin is another intrinsic hormone whose role in inducing labour contractions, the delivery of the baby and stimulating lactation has been well studied. However, the potential impact of endorphins and oxytocin on sexuality and romantic relationships is not well understood. This article reviews the research on endorphins and endogenous oxytocin and how they relate to human sexuality and romantic relationships. Some animal studies report the effect of endorphin and oxytocin on sex hormones and mating behaviours, but these findings have not been supported by research into human behaviour, indicating many gaps in knowledge relating to the association between these hormones and human sexuality.

A time to look within curricula—Nursing students’ perception on sexuality and gender issues

Nursing students could be viewed as dynamic change agents given the knowledge and skills they would be equipped with. Amongst all areas to be addressed in their clientele of the hospital or community setting, one key area that a nurse could focus on is sexuality. This however is often neglected for simple reasons such as lack of knowledge, embarrassment, fear of intrusion on privacy, or it is perceived as an un-important concern of the patient. Focus groups discussions combined with self report were conducted on 84 nursing students selected by the faculty from three institutions of nursing to assess their perceptions related to sexuality and gender issues, and thus extrapolate on their learning needs within the curriculum. Student expressed discomfort in caring for patients who had sexual expressions and relationships different from the accepted cultural norm;perceived sexuality primarily as heterosexual relationship;helplessness when faced with sexual harassment in the health care field and gaps in their present curricula in relation to contextualization of sexuality and gender issues.