Archive
Sex@Iowa: Future of this blog
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Now that the end of another academic year is upon us and the Sex@Iowa blog has been around for 2 academic years and is 20 months old, it’s again time to take stock and decide where we go next. Where do we/should we go from here with this blog?
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Please help us as we plan for our future. Let us know what you think via comments left for this post. If you would prefer that your comments NOT be shared, let us know that in the body of your comments and we won’t post your thoughts. Click on “leave a comment” above to the right to leave your comments.
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Any comments/feedback are welcome, but we’d particularly like your thoughts on any of the following:
1. Should we stop this blog and put similar content on the Student Health and Website only or keep things separate?
2. What topics have not been addressed that you’d like to see for the future?
3. How could this blog site be easier to negotiate?
4. What posts have you found to be the most useful?
5. How did you hear about/find out about this blog?
Thank you for your readership/viewing and thanks in advance for feedback you provide.
…Drs. E and L
UI Condom/Lubicant Preference Survey
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On April 24th, 2014 staff of Student Health and Wellness distributed 5 different kinds of condoms and 5 different kinds of lubricants to students at an evening event at the University of Iowa Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center. Those who received these packets of goodies were asked to try them out, then come to this blog/website to let us know which condom and which lubricant they preferred.
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Student Health and Wellness Staff at GYT event on 04/24/14
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If you are one of those students, or even if you are not, but have used the types of condoms and lubricants below (available for free at Student Health and Wellness on campus) please complete the following surveys and let us and the world know what you think. All responses are anonymous. The polls will be open for 30 days after they are first posted.
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Student Health and Wellness will use the results of these polls to help know what brands of condoms and lubricants to order and have in stock for the future.
Thanks!
Condom poll:
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lubricant poll:
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Our thanks also go out to Andrew Alberth of the University of Iowa and Cody Shafer from Johnson County Public Health department for helping to make this event possible!
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Link to UI LGBT Resource Center Website HERE
Feel free to send us any comments by clicking on the “Leave a comment” button below.
Chlamydia Infections in UI Students, 2013
Today’s trivia question:
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Of all University of Iowa students tested for Chlamydia in the calendar year 2013, how many tested POSITIVE?
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(That is, what percentage of UI students that were tested for Chlamydia had positive tests, indicating a sexually acquired Chlamydia infection?)
Take your best guess in the reader poll below, then scroll down below graphic of man thinking for answer.
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Answer: C) 6.9% or about 1 in every 14 students tested.
Tummy Ache with Swallowing?
Today’s Question:
“Question: Every time I give my boyfriend a blow job and I swallow it gives me a stomach ache about 20 minutes later. Why does this happen? Is it normal? Am I allergic to semen?”
…sick of feeling sick
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Dr. Laros: Well, “Sick of…”, unrelated to a gag reflex, as a gynecologist seeing female patients only, I have not heard this complaint from any woman I have seen as a patient in the past 20 years; that’s what can be fun about our jobs; there is always something new to think about.
Dr. Evans: Yes, though rare, I have heard of this and, doing a simple internet search using “Oral Sex Stomach Ache” will result in a LOT of hits for sexual advice web sites that discuss this very issue. However, there is not much in the way of medical research or medical publications on this issue. Some partners report nausea, nausea with throwing up and/or diarrhea 15 minutes to several hours after swallowing semen. See the “LINKS” section below for one review/narrative article in the medical literature, but let’s talk about why this might happen.
Dr. Laros: Some people have a strong gag reflex and will get very nauseated or even throw up when trying to swallow semen. However, in your case, it sounds like you have no problem with the actual swallowing as your symptoms start about 20 minutes later.
Dr. Evans: Another possibility is that something about your boyfriend’s semen is upsetting to your stomach. Semen is a mix of proteins, sugar (fructose), water, minerals and a very small amount of sperm. It has a slightly alkaline pH (opposite of acidic). Some anecdotal, non-scientific or non-proven theories as to why some get nauseated after swallowing semen include the following:
- Symptoms are due to the male/”semen donor” smoking either cigarettes and/or marijuana
- Semen is too ‘bitter’ or ‘sour’ which may be remedied by having boyfriend eat fruits or drink sweet fruit drinks such as pineapple juice
- Symptoms are ‘psychosomatic’ meaning the person swallowing the semen has the nausea due to emotional factors. There may be something about oral sex that is upsetting to you.
- If this happens only once or rarely after swallowing semen, it may just be a coincidence. Nausea and stomach upset are common. So is oral sex. A stomach ache that occurs once after swallowing semen may just be coincidence.
Dr. Laros: However, we don’t have good scientific evidence or studies to tell us if any of these things actually will work or if any of the above are actually the cause of your symptoms.
Dr. Evans: You did mention/ask about an allergy to semen. There is a very rare condition where one person can develop a true allergy/immune response to the proteins in semen. This usually causes skin reactions such as redness, burning and swelling in places where the semen comes in contact with skin, especially in the vaginal area of a female partner. It is doubtful, however that a person with such a semen allergy would have stomach symptoms as the proteins in the semen would be broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach. This is a condition that can be tested for by seeing a doctor specializing in allergy and immunology who is familiar with semen allergies. There are ‘desensitization” treatments that will help decrease or resolve such allergic responses.
Dr. Laros: So, if it is hard to know the actual cause, what can you do? Here are some suggestions:
- Don’t swallow; spit the semen out.
- Have your boyfriend stop smoking cigarettes and/or marijuana if he does that to see if it makes a difference.
- Have your boyfriend eat fruits or drink fruit drinks such as pineapple juice to see if that helps.
- Have your boyfriend use a condom when you give him oral sex.
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Dr. Evans: Condoms! Yes, Dr. L, that brings up another important point. Using a condom, you won’t have to swallow and it has the added benefit of reducing the risk of getting a sexually transmitted illness like gonorrhea or herpes.
Dr. Laros: My greatest advice is that sex should be pleasurable for both partners. If you are always getting sick or feeling poorly after swallowing semen–DON’T SWALLOW SEMEN. IF IT IS UNPLEASANT, STOP DOING IT.
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What is your experience, readers?? Take our reader poll below on nausea with giving oral sex:
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Today’s Statistic:
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50.9% of U. of Iowa students reported having oral sex in the last 30 days.
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4.7% of U. of Iowa students who had oral sex in the past 30 days used a condom during oral sex.
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(Data from National College Health Assessment survey given to 882 undergrad UI students in the spring of 2012.)
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Today’s Info Links:
Review/research article on allergies and intimate behaviors:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18051207
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What is in semen? Links to composition of semen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semen
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2164/jandrol.04104/full
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Got a sex question?
Leave us a comment or submit your question(s) to:
Reader Poll: “Sexting”
How common is “Sexting” on campus??
Sexting = sending or receiving sexually explicit images or messages by cell phone.
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Answer our poll; look at results:
Sex@Iowa 
