Dr. Jyothilakshmi

With changing times the nature and effects of virus and bacteria are also changing and due to this, one of the biggest risks of unprotected sex is catching a sexually transmitted disease or STD. An STD can be contacted by any form of intercourse including oral, vaginal and anal sex.

STDs are serious diseases that should not be ignored and require treatment and medication. Some common STDs are:

1. Chlamydia
2. Hepatitis B
3. Genital Herpes
4. Syphilis and
5. Gonorrhea 

The only way to protect yourself from an STD is to abstain from unprotected sex and always use a condom. Sometimes STD infections have no symptoms and can remain dormant for years, hence it is essential to get yourself regularly treated for STDs if you have more than one sexual partner.

On the other hand some STDs have visible symptoms such as:

1. Skin rash: A rash in the genital area is most often a sign of STDs. This can be in the form of bumps, sores or warts. It may or may not be accompanied by itchiness. A rash caused by a STD usually results in redness and inflammation. Herpes sores may subside within a week or so but just because the rash is gone does not mean the infection has been treated. Hence even if the rash disappears before your doctor's visit, ensure you mention it. 
2. Painful urination: A burning sensation or pain while urinating is a symptom for a number of STDs. There may also be a change in the colour of urine. Some STDs associated with painful urination as Chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. However, this may also be triggered by kidney stones or a urinary tract infection. 
3. Painful intercourse: Pain during intercourse is one of the most overlooked symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. While a little pain may be normal, any sudden increase in pain or new type of pain should not be ignored. This should be kept in mind especially when having intercourse with a new partner or if there is a change in sexual habits. When it comes to men's sexual health, pain at the time of ejaculation can be a symptom of a STD.
4. Abnormal discharge: Abnormal discharge from the vagina or penis can be a symptom of a number of infections not all of which are STDs. Strangely coloured and odorous vaginal discharge can be a symptom of yeast infections or a Sexually transmitted disease like trichomoniasis or gonorrhea. Bleeding in between periods can also be a symptom of a STD.  Abnormal discharge from the penis can be a sign of Chlamydia, gonorrhea or trichomoniasis.

Stretching is very important for your well-being. Not only does it help you become more agile and flexible, it helps you become better at sports and also makes sure that you have fewer injuries when you are playing sports. Here are some exercises, which are guaranteed to make sure that your flexibility will improve:

1. The runner's stretch
In this stretch, put your right foot forward and then try to touch the floor with your fingertips. If your fingers do not reach the floor, place them as far down as possible. You have to then inhale, and go back to your starting position.

2. The standing side stretch
This stretch starts when you are standing straight upwards with your arms raised above your head and your fingers interlocked. When you breathe out you have to slowly bend your upper body to the right then return to the starting position. After you have reached the starting position, you inhale again and after you have inhaled, you have to stretch your upper body to the left.

3. The forward hang
In this stretch, your starting position is when you stand with your legs apart and then you lock your fingers together and place them behind your back. Once this is done, you breathe in. After breathing in, you have to exhale by bending forward and keeping your hands interlocked above your head. You have to hold this position for 5 seconds.

4. The low lunge arch
This stretch involves bringing your right leg as forward as possible and then lowering your left knee onto the floor. You then have to lock your hands together with your palms facing the floor and your hands in front of your body. You then have to inhale for the stretch. The stretch involves lifting your arms as far up as possible and then stretching as far back as possible keeping your legs in the position they were already in. Once you have finished this exercise, you have to do the exact same thing with the left leg in front

Most people will give you a blatant NO. And they are quite right to do so. But if you have been a habitual offender who can't unwind without their drink, pregnancy is going to be a big problem. So does the rule stand in all cases? What if you drank when you didn't know you were pregnant yet? What if you had a light drink here and there, will it literally spell disaster? Let's find out.

Contradictory advice everywhere:

Most doctors will advice you to stay away completely from alcohol as soon as that first positive emerges in your test. Others may give you a little leeway and let you have an occasional drink. There are friends who'll confess to have cheated during their pregnancy and snuck in a beer or two and say that their kids turned out just fine. There are other friends will scorn on you for even thinking such a thing. Same goes for your relatives. Like all things in pregnancy, random advice will just not work.

How much can you drink?

Let's assume that you are confident nothing will happen and want to be adventurous and give it a cautious try. Danish researchers have some good news for you. Some studies have shown that low to moderate consumption of alcohol does not harm the baby. In fact, in 2012, Danish researchers released a highly publicized study that found no major problems in children below 5 years whose mothers had consumed 1- 8 alcoholic drinks a week during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, not all research is made equal. With pregnancy, each mother, each child and progression of each pregnancy is different. It really has to be on a case by case basis and nothing can be taken on face value. Most people will still advise you to completely go off alcohol as there is no "safe" amount during pregnancy. Some women have a larger quantity of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. If a woman with lower levels of this enzyme drinks alcohol, it is more likely to harm her unborn child as the alcohol will remain in her bloodstream longer.

How alcohol can affect your child?

There are a huge number of disorders that can affect your child when in the womb and even after because of alcohol consumption. These disorders are collectively called "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder". It is characterized by increased risk in miscarriage and stillbirth. It can also result in the baby having low birth weight and increase problems with learning, speech, attention span, language and hyperactivity. Alcohol consumption may also affect a girls and boys differently. While both may turn out to have aggressive and delinquent behaviour, girls are more likely to develop mental health problems too.

If you are unable to give up on alcohol, you need to immediately get professional help to overcome your addiction.

Also note that the term "non-alcoholic" beverage is misleading as they can contain trace amounts of it. Consult a doctor today on which drinks are safe for you.