Sexual health

This is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being in relation to all aspects of sexuality. This is not solely about the absence of diseases, dysfunction, or illnesses.

Sexual health addresses many issues, including prevention, care, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STD); reproductive tract infections (RTI) and their adverse consequences, such as infertility and cancer, as well as the infections from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, care for abortions; sexual dysfunction; sexual violence; and harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM).

With an avant-garde approach, the Guttmacher-Lancet Commission includes emotional, attitudinal, respect, and mutual consent aspects in the definition of sexual and reproductive health. It also includes the issue of violence against women, adolescents, and girls.

Sexual health is intrinsically related to reproductive health, sexual rights, and reproductive rights. This is also a key aspect of people’s general health, as well as their quality of life and that of their partners and families. For that reason, entities such as the World Health Organization promote a positive and respectful approach to sexual health and sex, as well as the possibility of having pleasant and safe sexual experiences that are free from coercion, discrimination, and violence.

A positive approach to sexuality recognizes the importance of pleasant and safe sexual relations, in a framework of respect, trust, and communication, to promote self-esteem and general well-being.