Join the mailing list

Sign up to get the latest sex information delivered right to your inbox.

Your privacy is always protected!

Women's Sexual Health: Menstruation and Breast Health

Menstruation and Breast Health Introduction:
Two significant health concerns for women are their monthly menstrual cycle, and the health of their breasts. Menstruation, the monthly hormonal cycle involving the build-up and discharge of the uterine lining, is an important indicator of reproductive and general health. Issues women face pertaining to menstruation are irregular periods, absent periods (called “amenorrhea”), and painful periods (“dysmenorrhea”). When it comes to breast health, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Yet many women still do not perform monthly breast self exams. This channel deals with the steps women can take to ensure that their body’s monthly cycle is working as it should be, and that their breasts remain healthy as well.

Menstruation and Breast Health Articles:

  • HHS Affirms Value of Mammography for Detecting Breast Cancer
  • Breast Cancer and Sexuality
  • New Study Confirms Link Between Breast Cancer and Hormone Therapy
  • Enjoying Sex After Breast Cancer
  • Ask a question regarding Women's Sexual Health - Menstruation and Breast Health

    Answered Women's Sexual Health - Menstruation and Breast Health Questions:

  • I do not know if this is the right topic for my question, forgive me if it's not. My concern is as follows: I take combined contraception pills and am going on a trip starting the 8th of December, whi ....
  • I have a question about nipple erections. I have soft puffy nipples that rarely become erect. I am self conscious about them. I am 18 and I was wondering if this is normal or a sign of a larger proble ....
  • I am 24 and have a one year old who recently stopped breastfeeding her one year old. My breast size has dropped to an awful (below 36 A). My husband is not complaining, but I feel awful when I'm not ....
  • My daughter got her first period when she was ten it was red and it only lasted a day. she is now 12 and she has not gotten it since. What's wrong?
  • Hi, I am a little concerned about my menstrual cycle. I have always had normal cycles every 28 days.From the past five months my cycle has altered to every 21 days and there is spotting for two days a ....
  • I am 18 years old and have been sexually active for less than six months; something happens to me once in a while that i cannot explain: My partner and I love when he kisses my breast sometimes he ge ....
  • Hi, I'm 16, and I have a huge concern. I have a lot of questions, and I don't know where to start. I'm really scared if I'm pregnant, and I had sex for the first time on Dec. 22. We didn't use prot ....
  • my girlfriend has been on the pill MERCILLON for 4 years and has always had a regular period.she is 21 and has started bleeding lightly 2 weeks ago and has since got heavier. she took a pregnacy test ....
  • richard, i wanna kno when is the soonest i can have sex after my GF's period???
  • me and my b/frnd had oral sex one moth ago.he pressed my breasts and sucked a bit. since then my breast have grown very larger.is it because of this only.pls tell. i am vey much worried.
  • on the 9th of december i had gotten my period. the usuall week long. well i had just got off my rag when i had unprotected sex with my bf. he didnt cum in me, and yes i do know about the pre-cum sercu ....
  • I am disturbed. Tonight I studied web pages about female ejaculation, found an instructional site, and tried it for the first time. I made sure to empty my bladder first and then masturbated while on ....
  • Hi, recently my periods tend to be a day late for the late 3 months. the most recent one has been abnormally light, usually i am heavy for 2 days out of the 4 or 5 that i menstruate. I am currently ....
  • I have been taking tryphasic oral contraceptives for a 4 years now, and am usually pretty good about taking them on time. Recently though I have been under a minimal ammount of stress and have been of ....
  • Im 16 years old and I've had my period for about 3 years now. My period has mostly been pretty irregular, but now it's almost 25 days late. I've never had sex or anything like that. I've been taking n ....
  • I have taken the pill(Orthotricyclen) for a little over 2 years, and recently stopped. While on the pill I had normal periods, but since stopping, I have not had a period (this will be the 2nd month). ....
  • me and my boyfriend lately has been having sex but for the past 2 times i started to bleed.when he pulls out blood is on his penis.Could u tell why is that happening?
  • Ok again srry that you have to hear the same questions all the time bu I am parranoid just as everybody else who asks thier questions. My boyfriend rubbed his penis up against my clitoris(we were both ....
  • i have a sex with my gf and i always suck her boobd .one of my friend told me that it cause cancer .does it realyy cause breat canceror anyother ill effect on the boobs
  • My girlfriend and I had sex recently, we used a condom but afterwards saw it not on the penis, we weren't sure whether it came off before during or after ejaculation. It was roughly 13 days before the ....
  • Is it possible to get pregnant if man ejaculates in a woman the day before a woman starts her period?
  • what is the reason for the absence of mensuration? How it can be solved?
  • what is amenorrhea?
  • Hi, my girlfriend are both 22 yrs old and have decided not to have sexual intercourse, but we are active in other sexual activity (outercourse such as mutual masturbation and oral sex). We are worrie ....
  • Ok this is my question: I have a problem with strssing out everytime I have sex with my boyfried. Since I stress so much he decided that he'd only have sex with me for less than 5 minutes. he didn' ....
  • i have been getting "double" periods for the past two months. I am on birth control but I get a two week period. For the week before im supposed to get it and then for the week im supposed to get it. ....
  • hi doctor my girlfriend and got curious about one thing:when i touch and press her tits will they develop i mean become bigger and larger?or what changes become in her tits??thank u
  • Doctor, I have been in a relationship for over a year now but unfortunatly by boyfriend lives in a different state than I do. I haven't seen him in about 4 months and I found out that he is intend ....
  • I'm 16 and about 4 months ago, I went to a party and got really intoxicated to the point where some of the nights a blur. I get really paranoid about being pregnant and stuff so this is my question. ....
  • I had 2 periods last month and I just started my period again this month. This period though is a little light and I feel light headed and sick. Why is this happening?
  • ok, i have 2questions. 1)which would be better to have sex before or after my period starts. 2) and the second is how long after the last day of my period should i wait before having sex. thank u..hop ....
  • I am on birthcontrol but twise now i have bleed during have sex and felt a pain.. is this normal.. why im i bleeding, im not PMS when it happens i bleed and it hurts for about a day or so and then it ....
  • Hi doctor, I'm just wondering if a girl has a regular 28 day period does she always ovulate on the 14 day? or will it occur on other day as well. And also can a girl ovulate during the first day of pe ....
  • Hi Dr. It's me again. Thanks for your reply earlier. It puts me to rest. But I am still wondering what can cause her late period. Firstly, she isn't stressed out because I doubt she even remember ....
  • Hello Dr. I read through your archives and it answered a lot of my problems. But I've decided to ask you myself to ensure everything. Awhile back, me and my gf were doing some kissing and all and ....
  • Dr. McCaffree:

    My concern is about my girlfriend's menstrual cycle. I consider it to be really long: 40 days mostly. Is this normal? I also would like to know if women always experience pre mens ....

  • I have one question for u,if u help me i will be very happy,i am from kosovo(prishtina),the problem is:,i have sex whith my boy friend and i didn't have a bloodshed,he think that i was not virgin,but ....
  • I am a 37 year old female and my menstrual cycles are usually 28-29 days. But recently, the cycles have been off. For the last 3 months, it's been about 30-31 days long, and my last period only la ....
  • I had sex with my boyfriend for the first time last night. I was on the second day of my period, we used a condom and it did not break (tested it afterwards), but neither of us reached orgasm. My boyf ....
  • Thanks for answering my previous question. How much lower would sperm count be in a second ejaculation that occurred within an hour, or perhaps a half hour, of the first? Is this below the threshold ....
  • How do I know when am I ovulating?
  • About a month ago my boyfriend was a little rough with me (sexually not violently), and I developed a bruise on my breast which healed very slowly. However, just as that one bruise seemed to heal on m ....
  • Is it possible to get a girl pregnant if I had sex with her on her 1st day of her menstrual cycle?

    What is the shortest amount of time (in days) can a girl's cycle be and still ovulate in that c ....

  • Hi doctor it's me again. Sorry to bother you again I feel pretty bad about it. I got some good news and that is my period came this month. But the question is that it came on day 20 since my last p ....
  • I am so so so sorry for writting you a third e-mail instead of just one. But I forgot to tell you that my light period lasted around 3 days only. It went from the brownish stuff to a light red after ....
  • Sorry I just had to add something. I told you that I didn't know if my bf ejaculated earlier or not right? Well he doesn't remember either but he told me that if he did it would've been around 2 hou ....
  • I have no words that can describe how nice you've been to me =). You didn't get annoyed of me after all these questions, I really appreciate that. Well I do have a couple of more questions and that ....
  • Hi I've been searching around the net and I was wondering if the flu/cold can throw off a girl's period. As in make it lighter and shorter. Thank you =)
  • Sorry again for bothering you but you seem to be the only person that knows their stuff that I know of. So once again I would really appreciate it if you can help me out here. I told you awhile back ....
  • I would just like to thank you for your reply to my earlier question. Soon after you replied I got my period. I have one more question to bother you about, I've heard about spotting in females that ....
  • Recently me and my girlfriend have been intimate with each other, but both of us are still virgins. Three days ago, I was wearing cotton underwear, and she was wearing cotton shorts and nylon panties ....
  • I have two problems but the first concerns me the most.

    1) A few weeks ago (maybe about three now) I used a tampon thinking my period was heavier than it was and when I took it out it was almost ....

  • I have been masturbating for a long time now, but my problem is....When i was younger(before i masturbated)my periods were normal.When i started masturbating my periods started skipping.If I masturbat ....
  • I was wondering if it is possible for certain women to not get their period. I heard that some women do not get it as regular as others, and was wondering if this was true. I am a 20 year old female ....
  • I am 25 and i have not had a pap done. My cycles have been irregular since I began. As I get older my cycle skips 3 or 4 months. Once when my mother died I skipped 6 months. I am scared of hearing ....
  • Can i just say that I dont why but as i read your reply to my question about terrified sperm I started crying because for the first time i felt like someone else understood what i was talking about. ....
  • Irregular period?
  • I am having trouble remembering how often it is for your menstrual cycle to come around, i am confused on if it is every 28 days from the begining of your last cycle or the last day of your last cycle ....
  • Hello. This is a wonderful website! I have a quick question. Is it possible to have an earlier, lighter period (just 1 day shorter, but a constant flow) and be pregnant? I have heard different answ ....
  • i am a 15 year old female who had sex with my boyfriend only he had his boxers on for the past 3 days the last night we did this i got my period {or i though it was} but it stopped the next morning do ....
  • Me and my girl had "outercourse" less than last sunday the 4th. We BOTH had jeans and underwears on. After I ejactuated (inside my underwear) while rubbing AROUND where her vigina would be, my girl t ....
  • I am getting married in October and My period arrives arround the same time, is there something that I can take to have it come sooner in the month or later?
  • Hello. I really need you to answer my question. i'm 15 years old and i have not yet had my period. for about a year now, i tend to secrete a white gooey substance. is this an early sign of my period? ....
  • I'm 15 and I'm at least 100 pounds overweight. I've noticed that I've missed at least 4 periods in a row and I'm not pregnant. I also read that it could be due to physical activity, but volleybal ....

  • For the past couple days I've been having an odorless, brown discharge. I've tried to research it on the computer, but haven't had any luck. I am not sexually active and I'm not in the middle of my pe ....
  • i had sex with my boyfriend this month. we used a condom and it didn't break. my last period started on june 1st. now it is june 29 and i still havent gotten it. a few days ago i felt pains that felt ....
  • Since I have breastfed my daughter (who is now 3 years old) i have sore nipples. during foreplay my husband trys to touch and lick them, when he does this, it feels irritable and i jump. even if he to ....
  • I just want to ask you about pregnacy -- after how many days women can be pregnant?
  • Recently I have genital touch with my boyfriend but both of us are clothes on (slack and underwear),is it possible for the sperm to enter the ovum and cause pregnancy? my coming menstrual period rough ....
  • I am 16 and just yesterday my period ended and I had sexual intercourse for the first time. Now it is the day after and I have been bleeding alot from my vagina, especially when i go to the bathroom. ....
  • What are some normal signs of a woman's menstrual cycle (as far as cramping, diarhea etc.)? I am however keeping in mind that every woman is different.
  • Actually i would like to ask a question regarding something a friend told me about.The girl i'm talking about had her first period when she was 17 years-old,and until the age of 22 everything was norm ....
  • Im 16...and i had protected sex around April 10th or something and i had just gotten over my menstral cycle and he said he didnt finish so that was good....and i was scared i wasnt gonna get my period ....
  • Dear Larry,I have a few questions actually. The first has to do with masturbation, atleast a form of it. when i was around 14 i found out that if u lay under the faucet of the bathtub and let it run o ....
  • Can having sex during my period, is it possible for bacteria in my mensus flow to irritate or even cause infection in the male?
  • I am 15 years old, on March 2nd of 2002 I lost my virginity. We used a condom but at the end right before he ejaculated he took the condom off and came on my stomach. the day after I got my period and ....
  • I got on birth control (Orthotricyclen) 4 years ago and have recently made the decison to get off the pill. Actually it has been 5 months since I discontinued the use of the pill. Since then, I have ....
  • I have been on Orthotricyclen for appoximitly 4 Years. I have decided to get off the pill about 4 months ago and I have yet to get my period. I know that I am not pregnant. IS this normal or should ....
  • HI I AM 14 AND STILL HAVEN'T GOT MY PERIOD. IS THAT NORMAL. I ALSO GET CRAMPS REALLY BAD. THANKS FOR YOUR TOME.
  • well me and my b/f were having sex but he didnt use a condom.. this is our second time having sex. He pulled out but im still worried.. i should get my period in about 4 days.. what are the chances im ....
  • I am 17 years old and I have had my period since I was 12-13 years old. All this time, the period of time between my menstruations has been of 3-5 months. Only once, last summer, this period was of 40 ....
  • I am in a monogamous relationship with my girlfriend of tem months. Eventually we are going to have sex (with a condom everytime)and I would like to know when the safest time to have sex is in relatio ....
  • I havent had my period in 42 days and i have been eating a lot, my stomach hurts alot too, but it's not a normal kind of hurt. How many days is in between menstral cycles.
  • I was wondering how many days are normally in between menstrual cycles.
  • if you have unprotected sex, using the "pull out" method.. and you get your period about 4/5 days later.. is that a sure sign that you aren't pregnant? I've been feeling normal, and it's been about a ....
  • i am on ortocyclen and i am concidering using the product bust plus or bloussant (natural breast inhancers). i was wondering if it would effect the effectiveness of the birt control. i would very mu ....
  • Im 13 Im a virgin, and for the past couple of days Ive had very dark brown discarge and other times It is dark yellow and has a foul smell and Im very scared because Im worried that I could become inf ....
  • I have dated my current girlfriend for 5 months now (we are both virgins and first time boy/girlfriend to each other). Two weeks ago I have started to massage her breasts and sucking her nipples and s ....
  • I have begun to date my girlfriend for about 5 months now and we are both virgins (we are the first boyfriend/girlfriend to each other). Two weeks ago I have started to play with her breasts (massagin ....
  • Will there be a possibility of pregnancy if I have unprotected intercourse while I'm menstruating?
  • I have been having a thick yellowish/whitish discharge during the day. It leaves a little coating on my underwear. Is this something to been concerned with. It has been happening for years and I have ....
  • I had an intimate nite (penis and outside vagina contact) with my girlfriend ..but no intercourse and and i can be sure of that as there is no penetration and she still a virgin.. the problem is s ....
  • my wife love to make love on the rag.i do to now she wants me to change her tampon for her is it ok to
  • Please find below my primary concerns: - 1. I'm a 23 yrs old workingwoman. My breasts are too small. I would like to undergo a cosmetic surgery. Please let me know the addresses of the hospital/nursi ....
  • i need to know about when i can do sex with my girlfriend without empregnant her. i've heard a lot about 5 days before her period and 5 days after her period, but i am not sure at all and wanted an ex ....
  • Is it safe for me to preform oral sex on my girlfriend while she is menstrating if she does not have any STD's
  • I was wondering if it is possible to be sexual active with a girl who is on her period. Will she feel discomfort or anything like that? I was thinking things might be less messy in the shower or some ....
  • I WAS MESSING AROUND WITH MY GIRLEGRIEND THEN I INSERTED TREE FINGERS IN HER VAGINA BUT WE GOT EXICTED AND I DECIDED TO GO MORE DEEP, THEN AFTER A WHILE I TOOK MY FINGERS OUT AND I HAD BLOOD ON THEM W ....
  • Dear Doctor. I have recently started to have ovary pains and my nipples are sore and red. I went to the doctor and he says is endomitriosis.For what I have heard that makes you infertile! I have a 5 y ....
  • Hi doc, I am a bachelor. last week when i was with my lover in a car. I was fondling with her breast. but she said that she was not feling anything sensuous or sensational.It was the first time for b ....
  • IS there a way to suspend bleeding during my period so that I can have sex witout my partner getting grossed out? Can I make myself clean in some way so that he doesn't get any blood on him or the con ....
  • I had unprotected sex the day after I finished my period. (My period was late but normal.) A few days after I had very light bleeding. Should I worry about pregnancy?
  • Hi, I am 18 years old. My breast cup size is 34B. I would like to know if there are other ways to increase breast size besides pills and surgery? I have heard that there are certain exercises th ....
  • Although I have normal sizr areolas, I have noticed lately that my nipples do not protrude at all. My friends all tell me that they envy me because I don't "nip" through any of my shirts, but I am ve ....
  • Do you pee out of the same hole you put the tampon in?
  • I just have some questions about birth control. I am taking ortho-tricyclin and I wonder if and when I ovulate, and if it is possible to get pregnant during the last week (while I am having my period ....
  • i am 15 and i still dont have my period should i be concerned?
  • I've been with my boyfriend for three years. We've never had sex on a regular basis. How often we have sex varies from month to month. About two and a half months ago, I started bleeding a little afte ....
  • I have a daughter of 12 who started her period approx 5 months ago. She had 2 Periods and then missed 1.5months. Since then she has been constantly bleeding missing just a couple of days in between ....
  • Q:when a man sucks milk from his wifes breast does it have any side effects(-ive or +ive)on the her mamary glands,her over all health,or the man's health?does this act(suckling)damage the breast or ha ....
  • Can intense sexual activity and stimulation of the breasts induce small amounts of white sweet milk and is this normal or something to worry about? Do some couples induce lactation to increase sexual ....
  • I have my period 3weeks at a time.
  • I would just like to know what would happen if you have sex while you have in a tampon...Would it find it's way to the vaginal opening or would it be lodged inside your vagina?
  • What are the hidden risks of sex during your period?
  • During arousal how much do your breast enlarge?
  • I would like to know how to induce lactation for sexual pleasure. My husband and I saw this in a movie and it turned both of us on. I am 32 and it ....
  • I am 19. About a year ago, my left nipple suddenly became inverted. I went to see my doctor about this,who said that everything is fine. I was still worried and went to see another doctor. And another ....
  • Twitter Facebook YouTube