Sabine Walter

An anonymous writer put it this way: "Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you. Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by." ©Seventyfour / Adobe StockWriter Elisabeth Foley points out that friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief, and that the most beautiful discovery that true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

If a couple tries to conceive but can’t seem to do it, one of the first things that doctors look for is a problem with the man’s sperm. Sperm compose about 5 to 10 percent of semen, and are the only part of the semen that can cause pregnancy. If a man is infertile, there is a problem with his sperm — often a low sperm count or low motility.

Understanding women's sexual (or reproductive) organs such as the vagina, uterus, and vulva is as integral to sex as understanding the penis. Demystifying female anatomy is key to good sexual functioning, whether you're a mature, experienced adult or looking to learn about women's sexual organs for the first time.

Impotence — meaning, the inability to have an erection when desired — frightens men, even though many have suffered from impotence at some point. Men may confuse short-term impotence with erectile dysfunction. The good news is that a couple of failures to have an erection doesn't mean there's something wrong with your penis.

One woman in nine will develop breast cancer in the United States. Because of this risk, every woman must know how to do a breast self-exam. Examining your breasts for cancer is easy but critical. Because our bodies often store any toxins that we absorb in fatty tissues (which are the bulk of abreast), the breasts are a common cancer site for women.

If a woman finds penetration painful during intercourse, the problem is probably vaginismus — not a vagina that is too tight. Vaginismus is a medical condition in which vaginal muscles involuntarily tighten up to the point where the woman will experience vaginal pain during intercourse. Sometimes, vaginismus causes the muscles to contract so tightly that penetration is impossible.

For many parents and teens, the idea of talking about masturbation sounds like an exercise in horrendous discomfort and awkward silences. Many adults believe there’s nothing to be gained from it, either; they may think that masturbation is pretty self-explanatory. But, in fact, many kids have questions about masturbation.

Some couples worry about sexual intercourse during pregnancy, fearing that the thrusting of the penis can damage the baby. In most cases, sexual intercourse can’t do any damage, but certain conditions may prevent a couple from having intercourse. The most common signs that sex could cause problems for the mother or baby is spotting or pain after intercourse.

How much masturbation is too much? The social stigma against masturbation has made it a controversial question. (Some religions and cultures still say that masturbation is wrong.) At the same time, the sexual revolution has changed many attitudes. Parents may want to allow their children to explore their sexuality—but they want to know if their child is masturbating too much.