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Sex hurts

by Dr Sarah Brewer

question
I'm 16 years old, and recently started having sex with my boyfriend but there were some problems. To put it simply, I couldn't take it all. I had heard beforehand about hooded clitorises and I thought that that was my problem. Now I think it may be to do with my hymen. Also, my boyfriend lives away, so it's not like I can go and see him to try to solve the problem. We've only had sex a couple of times

answer
Sex can be painful or difficult the first time, as the entrance to the vagina is covered by a delicate membrane, called the hymen. The hymen may break the first time you make love, but sometimes it doesn't 'give' straight away and it may take a few tries to achieve success. Breaking of the hymen sometimes causes a momentary sharp pain and a little bleeding which is usually mild.

Penetration during sex can also be difficult because of spasm of the vaginal muscles. This usually occurs when you are nervous or afraid - either because you are not quite ready to make love, or because of worries about pain or pregnancy. If you are having reservations about having sex, listen to what your subconscious is telling you as you may not be ready for it yet. Always use condoms to help protect against both pregnancy and sexually transmissible diseases. Spermicidal gel increases protection and also provides additional lubrication.
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