#Sexualhealth

Sexual health challenges are both common and deeply distressing among breast cancer survivors, yet the majority of women feel unsupported by their healthcare teams, according to a new international survey. Experts warn that this gap in care may be undermining both physical and emotional recovery for cancer survivors—including rising numbers in Thailand—highlighting an urgent need for more open dialogue and professional guidance.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers among Thai women, with survival rates steadily increasing thanks to improved detection and treatment. But as more women survive breast cancer, their long-term quality of life—including intimate and sexual wellbeing—is moving to the foreground of cancer care. The Women’s Insight in Sexual Health after Breast Cancer (WISH-BREAST) study, published this week, directly addresses this need, revealing that nearly 90% of survey respondents suffered moderate-to-severe sexual problems following treatment, yet most had received little or no guidance from their healthcare providers. The survey questioned 1,175 survivors (average age 47.5) about their sexual health and information-seeking behavior after breast cancer therapy, and its results offer sobering insights relevant for survivors across the globe—including in Thailand.

A hidden gap in Thailand’s cancer care is leaving nearly nine in ten survivors with untreated intimate health issues. International research shows that while more Thai women survive breast cancer, the healthcare system often fails to address sexuality and women’s overall well-being after treatment.

Thailand’s cultural norms complicate open discussion about sex and intimacy. In urban Bangkok hospitals, survival rates rise, but in rural areas basic cancer care remains inconsistent. Survivors frequently navigate recovery with questions left unasked and unmet, affecting marriages and daily life.

England has taken a pioneering step in global public health by launching the world’s first vaccination program targeting gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has reached record highs and shows worrying resistance to antibiotics. Starting from August 2025, sexual health clinics across England are now offering the vaccine—adapted from the 4CMenB meningococcal B vaccine—to people at highest risk, marking a significant move in the fight against a disease that has challenged medical professionals for decades. Health officials, experts, and advocacy groups alike are hailing the effort as a critical intervention with relevance for countries confronting rising STI rates, including Thailand.

A new era in sexual health begins as England rolls out the world’s first gonorrhoea-targeted vaccination program, a development with clear implications for Thailand’s rising STI crisis. From this August, high-risk populations in English sexual health clinics will be offered the vaccine, marking a historic shift in how public health systems address one of the most challenging infections.

England faced a sharp rise in gonorrhoea cases, recording about 85,000 diagnoses in 2023—the highest since 1918 and three times higher than a decade ago. Health experts warn that Neisseria gonorrhoeae has grown increasingly resistant to available antibiotics, underscoring the urgency of prevention alongside treatment.

Condoms have long been hailed as a cornerstone of sexual health, offering effective dual protection against both unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). But despite their widespread use and clear advantages, new research and expert analysis reveal that many people—across age groups and nationalities—are still making common mistakes when using condoms. Such errors threaten not only the effectiveness of condoms but also the public health progress made in promoting safer sex globally, including here in Thailand.

Comprehensive international research examining global patterns of contraceptive behavior has exposed widespread misconceptions and technical errors that systematically compromise the protective effectiveness of condoms, creating significant risks for unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infection transmission throughout Thailand and worldwide. Despite decades of successful public health campaigns promoting condom accessibility and general awareness, sexual health experts have identified critical knowledge gaps regarding proper usage techniques that continue undermining the protective potential of one of the most reliable contraceptive and disease prevention methods available. This revelation proves particularly concerning for Thailand, where evolving social dynamics, increased urbanization, and changing relationship patterns have intensified the need for accurate sexual health education that extends beyond basic awareness to include practical competency development.

A global study wave uncovers persistent condom-use errors that undermine protection against unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections in Thailand and beyond. Despite decades of campaigns improving access and awareness, experts warn that practical skills for correct condom use remain a major gap. This is especially worrisome as Thailand’s urbanization and shifting relationship patterns heighten the need for hands-on sexual health education that goes beyond awareness to real competency.

Thailand’s sexual health education still struggles with delivering practical technique guidance. Public health programs have excelled at promoting condom availability and general safe-sex principles, yet detailed instruction on technique—like correct sizing, lubrication compatibility, and proper opening methods—often sits outside standard curricula. Cultural sensitivities and traditional communication styles have slowed the adoption of more interactive, demonstration-based learning across schools and communities.

In a striking revelation that sheds light on the complexity of marital intimacy, new survey results indicate that over 55% of married individuals confess to fantasizing about past lovers. The findings have prompted sex and relationships experts to sound a note of caution, suggesting such fantasies may signal underlying issues within current partnerships if left unchecked. While occasional reminiscing about former flames is more common than many would admit, recent expert advice highlights both the psychological roots and potential risks of allowing such daydreams to dominate the private lives of couples.

A new survey reveals that more than half of married individuals in Thailand report fantasizing about former partners during intimate moments. Relationship experts say these private thoughts are common, but how couples address them can influence trust, communication, and intimacy.

For Thai readers, the findings invite reflection on how private fantasies intersect with loyalty and discreet social norms. The path forward lies in open dialogue, healthy boundaries, and a nuanced understanding of desire within modern marriages.

Thailand emerges as a pioneering force in the international campaign against sexually transmitted infections, aligning its comprehensive public health strategies with cutting-edge research developments from world-renowned medical institutions. This strategic positioning reflects the kingdom’s commitment to addressing the escalating global burden of STIs through innovative prevention programs, advanced diagnostic technologies, and culturally sensitive community engagement initiatives that serve as models for Southeast Asia and beyond.

Sexually transmitted infections continue representing formidable public health challenges across Asia and globally, with the World Health Organization documenting over 374 million new annual infections encompassing chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. Throughout Southeast Asia, persistent social stigma, inadequate screening accessibility, and insufficient comprehensive sexual health education create substantial barriers to effective STI prevention, leaving countless individuals vulnerable to serious medical complications including infertility, maternal and child health complications, and dramatically increased HIV infection susceptibility.

Thailand is actively stepping up its role in the global effort to curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), aligning itself with the work of world leaders in sexual health as highlighted in a recent report by Alfred Health. The growing burden of STIs, both regionally and worldwide, has prompted renewed focus on advanced research, public health strategies, and international collaboration to tackle these persistent and sometimes overlooked threats to community health.

A new wave of public health initiatives shows Thailand taking a global lead in preventing and treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) while centering health equity for Thai communities. By combining innovative diagnostics, proactive outreach, and culturally sensitive education, the country is shaping a model for Southeast Asia and beyond.

STIs remain a major public health challenge worldwide. The World Health Organization reports hundreds of millions of new infections annually, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis. In Southeast Asia, stigma, limited screening access, and gaps in sexual health education impede prevention efforts, increasing risks such as infertility, pregnancy complications, and higher susceptibility to HIV.

A growing body of research challenges stereotypes about aging, showing that sexual health and intimate connection remain integral to well-being for older adults. A peer‑reviewed study in Menopause reveals that many midlife women continue to value pleasure and intimacy as menopause progresses, prompting clinicians and families in Thailand and beyond to rethink aging.

In Thailand, respect for elders is a core value, yet open discussion about sexuality among older adults remains limited. With the population aged 60 and over expected to double by 2050, health professionals, policymakers, and families must understand evolving sexual health needs to support healthy aging. Global data indicate that acknowledging sexuality as part of overall wellness helps older adults maintain quality of life.

In recent years, painful sex—a condition medically known as dyspareunia—has emerged from the shadows, with a growing body of global and local research pointing to pelvic floor tightness as a primary culprit. New findings and increasing awareness are offering hope to millions of women worldwide, including many in Thailand, who have long suffered in silence due to stigma or lack of information. Medical experts and therapists now highlight both innovative and traditional ways to find relief, indicating a major shift in sexual health care and conversations around intimacy in modern Thai society.

Emerging scientific evidence is dismantling age-old taboos surrounding sexual health and intimacy among older adults worldwide, with new findings promising to reshape both medical practice and social perceptions for Thai society. According to a recent peer-reviewed study published this month in the journal Menopause and highlighted by Forbes, sexual pleasure, intimate connection, and even orgasmic experience remain vital facets of well-being for women in midlife and beyond, defying the widespread belief that sexuality fades irreversibly with age or menopause (Forbes).

Pelvic floor tightness is increasingly recognized as a key factor in painful sex, or dyspareunia. New research and rising awareness bring hope to Thai women who have faced stigma or misinformation. Medical professionals and therapists are advocating a blend of modern treatment and traditional approaches to improve sexual health care across Thailand.

The pelvic floor is a complex network of muscles and connective tissue supporting the pelvic organs. When these muscles stay chronically tense, a condition known as a hypertonic pelvic floor can cause urinary and bowel issues and pain during intimacy. For many, this pain erodes sexual well-being and overall quality of life, sometimes with involuntary muscle contractions.

A groundbreaking new study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior has revealed that couples experience synchronized surges of the hormone oxytocin—often called the “love hormone”—in the 40 minutes following sexual activity. This discovery, which relied on data from couples engaging in sex in the privacy of their own homes, offers fresh scientific insight into how intimacy biologically strengthens bonds within romantic relationships, and raises intriguing possibilities for understanding relationship satisfaction in modern Thai society.

New research published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior reveals that couples experience synchronized rises in oxytocin, the love hormone, in the 40 minutes after sex. The study was conducted with couples in their own homes, offering a fresh look at how intimacy biologically strengthens bonds in romantic relationships. For Thai audiences, the findings resonate with ongoing conversations about relationship well-being in health education and public discourse.

Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. It is linked to emotional closeness, trust, and social bonding. Unlike earlier laboratory studies, this research captured hormonal shifts in private, real-world settings. Couples performed intimate activity in familiar environments, while saliva samples were collected at four time points: before sex, immediately after, 20 minutes later, and 40 minutes later. The sample included 49 mixed-sex couples in monogamous relationships, ages 18 to 31, with diverse backgrounds, primarily recruited from the United States. Results showed that overall oxytocin did not spike dramatically, but patterns differed by gender and became synchronized between partners at 20 and 40 minutes after sex.

A recent report from the United States has revealed a shocking public health statistic: one in five Americans now lives with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), highlighting an urgent need for comprehensive sexual health education and testing. With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that nearly 68 million Americans were infected with an STI in 2018 alone, the scale of the issue signals growing global concerns and poses clear implications for countries like Thailand, where shifting social norms and international tourism influence sexual health patterns (KX News).

A recent public health briefing from the United States reveals a striking reality: roughly one in five Americans lives with a sexually transmitted infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate nearly 68 million infections in recent years, underscoring the need for comprehensive sexual health education, accessible testing, and stigma reduction. This is a global concern, especially as travel and changing social norms affect health outcomes, offering timely lessons for Thailand.

The notion of being “just friends” — with occasional intimacy on the side — often carries the promise of romantic freedom, pleasurable companionship, and zero-commitment fun. However, the latest research and expert commentary suggest that these so-called “friends with benefits” (FWB) arrangements rarely remain consequence-free. While such relationships are increasingly commonplace among young adults worldwide, and even perceived as safer or more convenient than casual hook-ups with strangers, scientists and therapists warn that they are emotionally fraught and can leave a lasting mark on the people involved.

Casual dating is on the rise among young adults worldwide, including in Thailand. Friends with benefits, or FWB, promises companionship with occasional intimacy. But experts warn these arrangements are rarely risk-free, emotionally complex, and unpredictable even with trust and clear plans at the start.

FWB has become a social phenomenon echoed in Western discourse and increasingly among urban Thai youth. In Bangkok and major cities, dating apps, media narratives, and shifting attitudes toward intimacy shape how young people view casual connections. For parents, teachers, and health professionals, understanding both the appeal and potential pitfalls is essential to support youths navigating today’s dating landscape.

A pioneering chapter presented at the 2025 Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases (SADI) Congress introduces updated, evidence-based guidelines aimed at transforming how doctors worldwide—including in Thailand—approach sexual health histories in patient care. The guidelines, published and discussed by the HIV and STI Commission and developed with input from leading infectious disease specialists, offer clinicians seven core question areas essential for comprehensive sexual health consultations. Their adoption marks a significant shift toward more inclusive, respectful, and effective patient interactions, with important lessons for Thai healthcare providers and the wider community.

A new chapter unveiled at the 2025 Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases (SADI) Congress updates evidence-based guidelines for sexual health histories. The seven core question areas are designed to guide patient-centered conversations and reduce stigma in clinical settings. Thailand’s healthcare community can apply these insights to improve trust, confidentiality, and access across public and private sectors.

In Thai culture, discussions about sexual health can be sensitive and stigmatized. The adapted framework reflects a global effort to destigmatize services and improve care. Data from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health shows ongoing gaps in STI screening and patient trust, underscoring the need for clearer communication tools and empathetic clinical approaches. The guidelines offer a pragmatic model for Thai practitioners to foster confidentiality, trust, and patient-centered care within local contexts.