Human Sexuality

1. Human Sexuality

2. Sexuality and Making Responsible Decisions • Important to have factual information • Sexuality refers to everything about you as a male or female • The way you act, your personality, how you feel about yourself because you are male or female – all of these are part of your sexual identity.

3. Adolescence: A Time of Change • Not only does your body, mind, and emotions change, but your relationships change. • Need to increase your ability to communicate during these years. • Meet new people, dating, developing a variety of relationships.

4. Making Responsible Decisions • Six Basic Steps to making a responsible decision • Define the Problem: be sure the problem is clear • Explore the Alternatives: think of as many ways to solve the problem as possible • Consider the consequences: • H (healthful): what health risks are there? • E ( Ethical): does this choice reflect what you believe is right • L (Legal): does it violate any laws • P (Parental approval): would they approve of the choice

5. Responsible Decisions • Identify Your Values: does the choice reflect your values • Decide and act: put together all the information, make a responsible decision, and act • Evaluate the results: after you have made the decision and taken action, examine the consequences • Did it affect your health or the health of others? • Were there any unintended consequences? • What did you learn that you would apply in the future?

6. Endocrine System and Hormones • Endocrine System: body system made up of ductless glands that secrete chemicals called hormones. • Hormones: chemical substances that regulate the activities of different body cells and organs. Hormones control the changes that occur during puberty

7. Hormones and Pituitary Gland • Puberty: period of growth from physical childhood to physical adulthood when a person begins to develop certain traits. • Periods of rapid, uneven physical growth • All teens go through it at their own pace • Hormones stimulate reactions in parts of the body. • During growth periods, hormones produce structural changes in the body (bone development, maturation of reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics). • Regulate the rate of metabolism, the rate at which body cells produce energy.

8. Hormones cont. • Pituitary Gland: • Controls much of the endocrine system • Size of pea and located at the base of the brain • Hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to release necessary hormones • Two hormones responsible for stimulating maturation of the reproductive organs that produce sex cells: Testes (male) and ovaries (females) • LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)

9. Male: LH controls the amount of the hormone testosterone produced by the testes, and FSH controls sperm production • Female: FSH and LH control the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone produced by the ovaries. FSH causes maturation of eggs and LH stimulates ovulation

10. Mental Changes During Adolescence • By age 6 brain is about 95% of adult size • Cerebellum: Muscle and Physical Movement center goes through major changes • Frontal Cortex: planning, judgment. Goes through growth spurt at 11-12 yrs of age. New nerve connections form

11. Emotional Changes • Bursts of energy and waves of strong emotions • Feels like you are on a roller coaster • Emotions fluctuate on a daily basis

12. Developmental Tasks • Establish emotional and psychological independence • Develop a personal sense of identity • Adopt a personal value system • Establish adult vocational goals • Develop control over your behavior

13. Secondary Sex Characteristics • Testosterone causes the shoulders to broaden, facial, underarm, and pubic hair to grow. Voice deepens and muscles develop. Bones become longer and larger. • Estrogen and Progesterone cause breast development, growth of underarm and pubic hair and widened hips • Both men and women also have increased activity of the oil and sweat glands. This is why acne becomes a problem. Also body odor can be a problem for many adolescents.

14. Decisions about sexual relationships Good communication is critical Each person must make decisions about what they want from the relationship Abstinence: a deliberate decision to avoid harmful behaviors, including sexual activity before marriage and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs

15. Questions to ask yourself about remaining Abstinent • Have I communicated with my boy/girlfriend about my expectations in this relationship? • Do my boy/girlfriends beliefs about premarital sex differ from my own? • Does my boy/girlfriend pressure me to engage in behaviors that I’m uncomfortable with? • How would I feel about myself if I engaged in sexual activity? • Am I prepared to deal with an unplanned pregnancy? • What would I do if I found out I had an STI? • How would I handle being infected with HIV? • How would being a teen parent affect my goals and dreams?

16. Benefits of Abstinence • Abstinence eliminates both person’s risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases • Abstinence is the only 100 percent effective method to avoid unplanned pregnancies • Becoming sexually active could go against a person’s moral beliefs • Abstinence can allow a couple to build a deeper friendship

17. Male Reproductive System External Male Reproductive Organs Scrotum: loose sac of skin outside of body Testes: male sex glands inside scrotum Two main functions: Manufacture testosterone (male sex hormone) Produce sperm (male reproductive cells) Mature sperm is one of the smallest cells in body Each sperm contains 23 chromosomes

18. Male Reproductive System

19. Male system cont. • Penis: tube like organ that functions in both sexual reproduction and elimination of body waste • Must be erect for semen (mixture of sperm and glandular secrections) to leave body. • 300 to 500 million sperm are released

20. Internal Male Reproductive Organs • Vas Deferens: main carrier of sperm. Viable sperm can remain here for months • Prostate Gland: lies below the bladder. Size of a walnut. Secretes milky alkaline fluid that mixes with sperm. This fluid neutralizes acids in the body.

21. Concerns about Male Reproductive System • Hernia: Inguinal Hernia: activities that include heavy lifting can push part of the intestine through to the scrotum • Sterility: inability to produce offspring. Sperm may be weak, deformed, sparse or nonexistent. • Causes include: • Overheating of the testes • Exposure to certain chemicals • Contracting mumps as an adult • Problems with the epididymis, vas deferens, or urethra • Gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital herpes

22. Concerns about M.R.S. • Testicular Cancer: • Occurs most often between the ages of 14-40 • Main Risk Factor is undescended testes • First signs of cancer: lump or enlargement of testis • Cure rate is very high if found early • Prostate Cancer: • After lung cancer, most common among men • Symptoms: pain, blood in urine, pain in back, hips, pelvis • Rare in boys and young men • Men older than 50 should be tested. Younger if history of cancer in your family

23. Female Reproductive System

24. External Female Organs • Mons Pubis: Rounded mound of fatty tissue • Labia Majora: fatty outer folds on either side of vagina. Oil and sweat glands provide moisture and lubrication • Vaginal Opening

25. Internal Female Organs • Vagina: elastic muscle-lined tube. Also known as the birth canal, which is capable of stretching. • Cervix: Neck of the uterus. During childbirth the cervix dilates. Site of glands that secrete mucus for lubrication • Uterus: hollow muscular organ that receives and holds fertilized ovum during pregnancy. Shaped like an up-side down pear. Primary function is to hold and nourish an embryo and fetus.

26. Internal Female Organs cont. • Fallopian Tubes: each side of uterus that connect to the ovaries. • Ovaries: two female sex glands that produce mature ova and female hormones. • Ovulation: process of releasing one mature ovum each month. Can live about a day in the fallopian tube.

27. Internal Female Organs

28. Menstrual Cycle • Hormones cause the uterine lining to build up a thick layer of blood. Will supply nourishment if fertilization occurs • Menstruation: process of shedding the uterine lining. • 3-10 tablespoons of blood • Cycle begins within 4 to 7 days after period • About 28 days • Most begin between 10-15 years old

29. Menstrual Cycle

30. Concerns about Female Reproductive System • Menstrual Problems: • PMS • Dysmenorrhea: Severe menstrual cramps • Amenorrhea: lack of menstruation by age 16 or the stopping of menstruation in a female who has had her period. • Can be a result of physical defects in the organs, diseases such as diabetes, tumors, infections, anorexia. • Can also occur from exercising too rigorously • Too little body fat

31. Female Infertility • Physical blocking of one or both fallopian tubes • Female does not ovulate (usually because of hormonal problem) • Endometriosis: uterine lining grows outside of the uterus in other areas of the pelvic cavity • STI’s

32. Problems with Infection • Toxic Shock Syndrome: rare disease. Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. Believed that using superabsorbent tampons is a major factor • Yeast Infections: Caused by a fungus. Symptoms include a thick, odorless discharge accompanied by itching, burning, and painful urination

33. Cancer • Breast Cancer: • Most common form among women • Second leading cause of death (from cancer) behind lung cancer • 2/3 of cases occur in women over age 50 • Men can get breast cancer as well • Greater chance of survival if found early • Monthly self-exam • Symptoms: • Change in breast or nipple • Lump or swelling in breast • Lump in the armpit

34. Cervical Cancer • Detected by getting a Pap Smear • No early symptoms • Risk factors include being between the ages of 20-30, not having a regular pap smear, having sexual intercourse at an early age, having multiple sex partners • All females should have a test yearly from 18 on or earlier if they are sexually active

35. Ovarian Cancer • 23,000 woman diagnosed each year • 14,000 die from this each year • Symptoms include: abdominal pressure, bloating or discomfort, nausea, indigestion, gas, urinary frequency, constipation or diarrhea • Early detection is critical because only 25% of females survive beyond 5 years if diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease