Sexual and Reproductive Health

A growing body of research challenges the idea that men’s sexual health declines harmlessly with age. Studies suggest that maintaining robust sexual health, including regular sexual activity and healthy testosterone levels, could be associated with longer life for men.

Globally, scientists are exploring whether sexually active men live longer. In Thailand, where conversations about male sexual wellbeing are often discreet, these findings resonate as the country’s aging population grows. Understanding sexual health as part of overall well-being can inform policy and health services for Thai men and their families.

A groundbreaking new study has found that men with better semen quality—particularly higher counts of motile (moving) sperm—may live two to three years longer than their peers with poor semen quality, offering an unexpected connection between male reproductive health and overall lifespan. The research, published recently in Human Reproduction and led by a team at Copenhagen University Hospital, marks the largest-ever exploration of the relationship between semen parameters and all-cause mortality among men, bringing attention to an overlooked marker of men’s health with broad implications, including for Thai men navigating lifestyle and healthcare choices (News-Medical.net).

A recent report from Rochester Regional Health underscores a global pattern: open conversations about sexual health are often missing in everyday life, yet specialized counseling can significantly boost well-being and relationship quality. Research by the American Sexual Health Association shows that fewer than one in four couples feel able to discuss their sexual lives openly, leaving many unprepared to address concerns. As sexual health becomes a core part of overall quality of life, new clinical insights offer hope for those grappling with intimate issues.

A recent article from the Rochester Regional Health system highlights the growing recognition among medical professionals that open, honest conversations about sexual health are often lacking—not only in Thai society but worldwide—and that specialized counseling can significantly improve individuals’ well-being and relationships. According to the American Sexual Health Association, fewer than one in four couples feel able to talk openly about their sexual lives, leaving many people unprepared to recognize or address sexual health concerns. In an era when sexual health is increasingly seen as central to overall quality of life, the latest research and clinical practice updates offer new hope for those struggling with intimate issues.

A major new study suggests that men with higher semen quality, especially more motile sperm, may live about two to three years longer than peers with poorer semen quality. The finding links reproductive health to overall lifespan and highlights semen health as a potential indicator of general well-being. The research, published in Human Reproduction, involved researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital and represents the largest analysis to date of semen parameters and all-cause mortality in men. The Thai medical community has long noted connections between lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and male reproductive health, and this study adds a broader health perspective for Thai men navigating modern living.

A wave of new research is reframing vibrators from private devices to clinically valuable tools. Leading clinicians in major patient care centers now advocate considering vibrator therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction, improved blood flow, and broader sexual health benefits. The shift holds particular relevance for Thai healthcare, where open discussion of sexual wellness and pelvic health remains sensitive.

Evidence from prominent researchers shows vibration therapy can support healing by relaxing pelvic floor muscles and boosting genital blood flow. This approach is being explored as a treatment for pelvic pain syndromes and as rehabilitation for sexual dysfunction after childbirth, menopause, or surgery. Data from respected medical centers indicate a range of benefits, including better sexual function, reduced genitourinary discomfort, and improved pelvic mobility. These findings are supported by peer-reviewed studies and clinical reviews, expanding the conversation beyond pleasure to medical value.

A wave of new research is challenging taboos by showing how vibrators—long viewed as private bedroom accessories—are now gaining medical recognition as tools for healing pelvic floor dysfunction, enhancing blood flow, and improving sexual health, especially for women. Pioneering clinicians at respected institutions such as Cedars-Sinai in the United States are at the forefront of this movement, urging doctors to consider prescribing vibrators for specific health conditions—a trend with significant implications for Thai healthcare, where issues of sexual wellness and pelvic health are often under-discussed.

A new study from the Boke District in Eastern Ethiopia highlights a persistent gap in reproductive health knowledge among high school students. The findings underscore how crucial reliable, age-appropriate guidance is for adolescents in a world of increasing digital information and evolving social norms. For Thai educators and policymakers, the Ethiopian experience offers both a warning and a blueprint for strengthening adolescent health education at home and in schools.

According to researchers, only a minority of high school students could accurately answer questions about reproductive health, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections. The study identifies factors behind low health literacy, including gender disparities, limited parental education, scarce youth-friendly health services, and cultural beliefs that discourage open conversations about sexuality. Students with trusted information sources—whether at school or within families—demonstrated higher understanding and confidence on these topics.

A newly published research study has shed light on the challenges faced by high school students regarding reproductive health knowledge in Ethiopia’s Boke district, with the findings sparking discussion about what Thai educators and policymakers can learn from the global context of adolescent health education. The study, titled “Reproductive Health Literacy and Associated Factors Among High School Adolescents in Boke District, Eastern Ethiopia” and published in the Advances in Public Health journal, reveals that many teens still lack fundamental understanding of sexual health, where to access care, and how to protect themselves from preventable risks (source).

A new study has cast light on a critical gap in healthcare: the need for more open and effective communication about sexual health, especially during routine medical checkups. The research, highlighted by Medical Xpress, underscores how stigmas, discomfort, and brief consultation times are hindering important conversations between patients and healthcare providers worldwide.

Sexual health is often a neglected component in conventional check-ups, not just in Western countries but also throughout Asia. For Thai readers, where cultural sensitivities can make discussion of intimate issues particularly challenging, the implications are profound. While sexual health is essential for overall well-being, many Thai patients and even healthcare professionals may avoid the topic, inadvertently increasing risks of preventable conditions such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), cervical cancer, and mental health impacts stemming from unaddressed sexual concerns.

A new study highlights a global gap in healthcare: sexual health conversations are often missing or rushed during routine exams. The research shows stigmas, discomfort, and short appointment times hinder essential talks between patients and clinicians. This is particularly relevant for Thai readers, where cultural sensitivities can make discussing intimate issues challenging, yet the implications are significant for overall well-being.

In many health systems, sexual health is not routinely addressed, and Thailand is no exception. With cultural restraint and taboos surrounding intimate topics, patients and even some professionals may avoid discussing sexual health, increasing the risk of undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer concerns, and mental health impacts linked to unspoken worries. Data from Thailand’s public health sector shows ongoing sexual health gaps outside major cities, despite progress in HIV prevention and teen-pregnancy reductions.

A new analysis ranks Louisiana as the riskiest state in the United States for sexual health, highlighting sharp regional disparities and limited access to reproductive care. By examining STD rates, teen birth rates, reproductive health resources, and state-level policies, the study draws attention to how policy and infrastructure shape health outcomes. The findings spotlight the south as a critical region for public health intervention, with implications for neighboring countries observing global trends in sexual health.

A newly released study has ranked Louisiana as the riskiest state in America for sexual health, highlighting sharp regional disparities and a crisis of healthcare access that has implications for public health responses in the United States. Utilizing an analysis of sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates, teen birth rates, reproductive health resources, and state-level reproductive rights policies, the report has brought national attention to alarming sexual health trends particularly concentrated in southern states.

Recent claims circulating online have suggested that certain herbal teas can cure a range of women’s reproductive health problems, drawing urgent attention from health experts and fact-checkers. A recent fact-checking report by Thip Media has put these claims under the microscope, scrutinizing both traditional beliefs and scientific evidence. The significance of this assessment is far-reaching, especially for Thai women in search of safe and effective remedies for reproductive health concerns.

Women’s reproductive health is a subject filled with long-standing traditional practices in Thailand, where herbal remedies such as ginger, turmeric, and specific “ya dong” infusions are widely popular. Yet, the allure of natural, “miraculous” solutions must be held up against current medical understanding. The recent fact-check published by Thip Media addresses viral social media posts that promote herbal teas as cures for infertility, menstrual irregularities, and even serious conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

New online claims say certain herbal teas can cure women’s reproductive health issues. Health experts caution that these assertions lack solid scientific proof and could delay proper medical care. A recent fact-check by Thip Media scrutinizes these posts and contrasts traditional beliefs with evidence.

In Thailand, herbal traditions are deeply rooted. Ginger, turmeric, and “ya dong” infusions are common in households and rural clinics. While some herbs contain compounds with minor health benefits, medical professionals say there is no robust evidence that herbal teas cure infertility, menstrual disorders, endometriosis, or PCOS. A senior gynecologist at a government hospital emphasized that relying on such remedies can postpone effective treatment and lead to poorer outcomes.

A wave of new research highlights a critical but often overlooked area: sexual health and well-being after breast cancer. Evidence shows that exercise-based therapy, pelvic floor muscle training, and integrated wellness programs can meaningfully improve sexual function and overall quality of life for survivors. With breast cancer remaining the most common cancer among Thai women, these findings offer practical, culturally attuned pathways to recovery and fulfillment beyond treatment.

Survival rates are rising, intensifying the urgency to address the long-term effects of cancer therapies on intimacy. Oncologists emphasize that chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, and surgery can leave lasting changes in sexual function and body image. A 2025 systematic review found that non-surgical, non-pharmacological interventions—such as pelvic floor training and education-based therapies—significantly improve sexual function, psychological well-being, and life quality for female survivors. Recent 2024 studies also confirm exercise therapy helps reduce fatigue, boost mood, and enhance sexual vitality. Data from leading Thai medical centers supports these findings, underscoring the potential for national care models to incorporate such programs.

A recent wave of research is shining a spotlight on an often-overlooked topic: the sexual health and well-being of breast cancer survivors. Studies indicate that specific actions—such as participation in exercise-based therapy, pelvic floor muscle training, and integrated wellness programs—can significantly improve sexual health and overall quality of life for former patients. With breast cancer remaining the most common cancer among Thai women, these findings provide crucial hope and actionable pathways to recovery and fulfillment beyond cancer.

A growing chorus of oncologists warns that cancer survival is not the end of the journey. Many survivors, especially women with gynecologic cancers, endure unaddressed sexual side effects long after treatment ends. Chronic vaginal pain and painful intercourse diminish quality of life and strain relationships, even when cancer is curable. A Guardian commentary by a senior oncologist highlighted a patient whose curable cancer left her living with years of sexual pain due to insufficient aftercare and open communication.

A recent call by leading oncologists highlights an often-overlooked aspect of cancer care: the unaddressed and persistent sexual side effects experienced by many survivors, particularly women. Despite advances in cancer treatment and survival rates, distressing symptoms such as chronic vaginal pain and painful intercourse continue to affect the quality of life for thousands, including those whose cancers are considered imminently curable. This troubling issue has come into new focus following a commentary in The Guardian by a prominent oncologist, who detailed the story of a patient whose curable cancer left her suffering years of sexual pain due to lack of adequate aftercare and frank communication.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called for $1.4 billion in emergency funding to address critical sexual and reproductive health needs for more than 45 million people living in crisis-hit regions worldwide. With a record 122.6 million people displaced by conflict and disaster over the past year, the appeal underscores the urgent health and protection challenges facing women and girls in humanitarian contexts, where the risks of pregnancy complications and gender-based violence are drastically heightened UN News.

A leading international health agency has called for $1.4 billion in emergency funding to address vital sexual and reproductive health needs for more than 45 million people in conflict and disaster zones worldwide. With a record 122.6 million people displaced over the past year, the appeal highlights the heightened risks women and girls face in humanitarian settings, including pregnancy complications and gender-based violence.

Displacement driven by war, climate shocks, and economic instability worsens access to essential health services and safe spaces. In 2025 alone, roughly 11 million pregnant women are expected to need urgent support, as many face life-threatening risks due to inadequate prenatal and childbirth care. Across emergencies, violence against women and girls spikes, yet funding for prevention and response remains chronically insufficient.

For many women, a bit of cramping or an abnormal discharge is often dismissed as nothing more than “just another bad period” or a routine infection. However, recent medical research warns that these subtle symptoms could, in fact, be the body’s urgent distress call about a condition far more severe than it appears: pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Frequently ignored and frequently misunderstood, PID represents a significant, silent threat to fertility—a risk that is often only discovered when women try to conceive, sometimes years after the initial, nearly invisible damage has been done. In the United States alone, more than one million women are estimated to be affected by PID each year, making it one of the leading causes of preventable infertility (Rolling Out).

Many women dismiss mild cramps or unusual discharge as a bad period or a minor infection. Yet medical experts warn these seemingly small symptoms can signal pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a hidden danger to fertility. In the United States, PID affects more than a million women each year and remains a leading cause of preventable infertility. For Thai readers, PID is a reminder that reproductive health requires attention, even when conversations feel delicate.

New scientific interest surrounds watermelon as a potential aid for male sexual health. Recent studies suggest bioactive compounds in the fruit may support vascular function, with some researchers noting possible benefits for erectile function and libido. Experts emphasize that watermelon should complement, not replace, clinically approved treatments when needed.

Watermelon remains a beloved fruit in Thailand, enjoyed as a refreshing seasonal snack and a staple at markets and family gatherings. Its growing profile as a potential booster for sexual health resonates with Thai traditions that link food with vitality and well-being, enriching the conversation on wellness in everyday life.