Hi Dr. Yvonne,
Does water act like a spermicide if you have sex in it?
Stevie

Water is not a spermicide. While chlorine makes for a hostile environment for sperm (and latex), it will not kill sperm right away. While men who spend a lot of time in hot tubs tend to have lower sperm counts, the hot water cannot be relied upon as birth control. The general rule is – in or out of water – anytime semen is emitted in the vagina or on the vulva, there is the chance of pregnancy.

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

Dear Yvonne,
My wife has several sex toys, some of which we both enjoy. However, she does have a few in the phallus department that are somewhat large. I am concerned these will stretch her vagina out and her sensitivity to me will diminish. She says she will shrink back to a smaller size. What are your thoughts?
—Jeff

Dear Jeff,
Given that a female’s vaginal canal can stretch to handle a baby, you really don’t have much to worry about. Whether she’s planning to give birth or use a large object when self-pleasuring, a woman can maintain her pelvic musculature and sensitivity by practicing Kegel exercises. Learning to properly flex her pubbococcygeus (PC) muscle, a.k.a. pelvic floor muscles, a woman can have a “fit” vagina, which allows her to better grip phalluses of all sizes for more amazing sensations — for both of you!

Dr. Yvonne Kristín Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, “Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots.”

A rather interesting headline caught my eye today—and I’m sure you’ll understand why…

“Woman Sues Victoria’s Secret, Claims Injury From Defective Thong”

A 52-year-old Los Angeles woman is suing Victoria’s Secret claiming she suffered an injury from a faulty pair of thong underwear. It seems a “design problem” caused a piece decorative metallic material to fly off the panties and into her eye as she attempted to step into the sexy skivvies. The Smoking Gun is reporting that prior to the lawsuit, officials from Victoria’s Secret had asked to see the fabric offender, but were refused by the woman’s lawyer.

Now this seems like a ridiculous claim to me. Rather than suing the company, she should be thankful that she is avoiding the possible health risks associated with sporting these skimpy undergarments.

While there is not much published research on the subject, I can offer some anecdotal research from my 25 years of seeing female patients as an OB/GYN doctor. And ladies, I’m sorry to tell you that no matter how sexy they make you feel, no matter how many panty line nightmares they have saved you from, or how “comfortable” they may be—they do increase your risk for infection!

There is indirect evidence to suggest that the chronic use of a thong can lead to a bladder infection. Remember there are many kinds of bacteria lurking in the vagina and around the anus. Also the female urethra is very short. So the presence of that thin strip of fabric in this area could increase the likelihood of bacteria exchange into the female bladder, ultimately causing a urinary tract infection to develop. Other problems that have been reported by “chronic-thong-wearing-women” are clitoral irritation, chafing or lacerations to the anus, and vaginal infections.

Now I’m not condemning thongs completely but it’s important to take into account a woman’s individual gynecological history. Remember, what might be right for some may not be right for others.