Women

Note: The following information is sensitive in nature and is intended for an adult audience.

We wouldn't hesitate to call the doctor if we had the flu or a broken arm, but when it comes to sexual health, women are much more apprehensive and even embarrassed to seek professional help. While you should form an open relationship with your own physician, Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat M.D. offers answers to ten common "taboo" topics. Read her answers to 10 common "taboo" topics or visit the site SanDiegoInsider.com to ask her your own questions.

Question #1: My left breast is smaller than my right breast. Is there anything wrong?

Answer: Not usually. The amount of fatty tissue determines the size of the breast. The actual size of a woman's breast is determined by her genes (if not her plastic surgeon). In my experience, in 80% of women (including myself), the left breast is bigger than the right, in 10% the right is bigger, and in the remaining 10% they are equal in size. When the discrepancy is very obvious and causes mental distress, it can be corrected by plastic surgery.

Question #2: Is there such a thing as a "sex addict?" My husband wants to have sex several times a day. What should I do?

Answer: I have had many patients who have sex two or three times a day, especially when they are newlyweds or are on vacation. I have a small minority of patients who say they have sex every night. One said that it was like a "sleeping pill" for her and her husband. I would be concerned with a partner who wanted to have sex several times a day if it's not by mutual consent. In that case, I would suggest seeing a counselor.

Question #3: If you have sex with a man who is really large, could he pivot or tilt your uterus over a period of time?

Answer: A woman is born with a tilted uterus. In my own practice, I would say one out of every three women has a tilted uterus. Sexual activity in no way changes the orientation of the uterus.

Question #4: Is it true that wearing a bra at night can increase your chances of getting breast cancer? And why is it that your chances of getting breast cancer decrease if you have a child before age 30?

Answer: There is no correlation between what you wear and breast cancer. Some women, including myself, find comfort in wearing a soft bra at night. Pregnancy appears to influence breast cancer risk. Women who had their first pregnancy before age 30 have a lower risk than women who have never been pregnant at all. This may be due to the hormones of a pregnancy that is carried to term which mature the breast tissue of a young woman, preventing it from mutating into cancer cells.

Question #5: Why can a man want sex after a fight while a woman is still angry and hurt?

Answer: I have had many, many patients ask me this question. They cannot understand why a man can be thinking about sex after a fight. It is very easy for a man to want to have sex after a fight. There is a strong dissociation between his arousal and what had just happened. But there are also women who find arguments stimulating. This type of arousal probably comes from the intimacy of strong communication, when the "air has cleared" and feelings have been expressed between them.

Question #6: Is it normal to hate touching your husband's genitals?

Answer: The point is not what is normal, but what is beneficial to you both. Some women, because of an upbringing that considers sex "dirty," can feel very uncomfortable touching a partner's genital area. This lack of intimacy can cause barriers to lovemaking that need to be addressed.

Question #7: I have been very depressed and my family doctor started me on Prozac. I feel much better now, but my sex drive is gone. I do not want to stop taking my medicine, but I do not want to lose my husband. Any suggestions?

Answer: Drugs used for depression that block testosterone utilization or decrease its synthesis can put an halt to your sex drive. These are SSRI drugs such as (Prozac), and Sertraline (Zoloft). If you are taking any of these drugs and are having sexual problems, you should check with your health-care provider and discuss the possibility of a "drug holiday." A drug holiday (weekend) consists of stopping the medication on Friday morning and restarting Sunday. However, this may precipitate depression. A drug holiday should only be done when the patient's depressive disorder is relatively stable and well controlled. Another option is switching to another drug. Drugs with a less negative effect on the sex drive are Wellbutrin and Serzone.

Question #8: Do aphrodisiacs really work?

Answer: Aphrodisiacs are potions, drinks, some foods, and amulets that people believe will enhance their sex life by drinking, eating or rubbing into their body or wearing with their clothing. I have not read about any studies that concluded that aphrodisiacs work. However, if you believe that it will work, it probably will!

Question #9: Can a woman's vagina become "stretched out" if she is very sexually active?

Answer: The answer is no. This is a fear that many women in third world countries have, especially if they are having sex out of wedlock. Fortunately, the vagina can stretch out to accommodate a penis as well as an infant during childbirth.