Sexual health basics

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Sexuality is part of being human. Love, affection and intimacy all play a role in healthy relationships from childhood through old age.

You often hear about the importance of physical, mental and spiritual health, but feeling confident about your sexuality also is important. Achieving sexual health allows for:

  • Healthy relationships
  • Planned pregnancies
  • Disease prevention

It's essential to be well-informed about all aspects of sexual health and what it takes to have a fulfilling sex life. Similarly, it's important to be aware of factors that can complicate your sexual health. Don't let embarrassment keep you from bringing up concerns or asking questions of your doctor or other health care providers.

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Oct. 05, 2021

See also

  1. Antidepressants: Which cause the fewest sexual side effects?
  2. Pre-ejaculation fluid and pregnancy
  3. Birth control options
  4. Birth control pills: OK to take indefinitely?
  5. Cancer treatment for men: Possible sexual side effects
  6. Cancer treatment for women: Possible sexual side effects
  7. Chemotherapy and sex: Is sexual activity OK during treatment?
  8. Choosing a birth control pill
  9. Chronic pain can interfere with sexuality
  10. Delaying your period with hormonal birth control
  11. Discolored semen: What does it mean?
  12. Erectile dysfunction and diabetes
  13. Extended-cycle birth control and spotting
  14. Female orgasm: No climax with vaginal penetration?
  15. Frequent sex: Does it protect against prostate cancer?
  16. Health issues for gay men
  17. Health issues for lesbians
  18. Healthy sperm: Improving your fertility
  19. Heart failure and sex: Is it safe?
  20. High blood pressure and sex
  21. Infographic: HPV Related Oral Cancers
  22. HPV vaccine
  23. Loss of sex drive in men: Natural with aging?
  24. Male masturbation: Does frequency affect male fertility?
  25. Mayo Clinic Minute: Signs and symptoms of syphilis
  26. Natural aphrodisiacs
  27. Pap smear: Do I need one if I'm a virgin?
  28. Penis fracture
  29. Penis health
  30. Penis enlargement
  31. PrEP to prevent HIV
  32. Prostatitis and sex
  33. Psoriasis and intimacy
  34. Psoriatic arthritis and intimacy: Tips for a better relationship
  35. Senior sex tips
  36. Sex after pregnancy: Set your own timeline
  37. Sex after years of abstinence
  38. Sex and COVID-19
  39. Sex during vaginal infection: Is it harmful?
  40. Sex education: Talking to toddlers and preschoolers about sex
  41. Sex education
  42. Talking to your teen about sex
  43. Sex and aging
  44. STD testing
  45. Teens and sex
  46. Testosterone level
  47. Testosterone therapy in women
  48. Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age
  49. Vagina
  50. Viagra for women?
  51. Women's sexual health
  52. Yeast infection in men: How can I tell if I have one?