Two of their most important needs may be a reliable, accurate information source, and someone to about everything from sexuality to peer pressure. Older teenage girls may be taught to perform breast self-exams and should talk with their pediatricians about when is the right time for a first visit to a gynecologist. Boys should learn to screen for testicular cancer. Teens who are provided with good information about family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases are better prepared to make good decisions. Women considering a planned pregnancy should talk with their doctors six to 12 months before they begin trying to conceive.
Couples can prepare ahead by minding nutrition, quitting smoking, and exercising.
Also important are disease prevention and diagnostic exams, including annual pap smears, monthly breast self-exams and quick attention to vaginal or male or female urinary tract infections. Any symptoms associated with sexually transmitted disease, left untreated, could also impair fertility. Most women will experience some perimenopausal symptoms, including irregular menstruation, fluctuations in sexual appetite and mood swings. Many men notice a decrease in their libido. As in so many other stages of life, the key to positive, healthy sexual relationships, both physical and emotional, is communication.