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Sexual health implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safer sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. One interpretation of this implies that men and women ought to be informed of and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of birth control; also access to appropriate health care services of sexual, reproductive medicine and implementation of health education programs to stress the importance of women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth could provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant.
Sexual health encompasses contraception, planning pregnancy, issues around pregnancy choices (including abortion, screening, testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections) and help with sexual wellbeing. Sexual health services may be delivered ‘under one roof’ or separately by providers in different settings. Wherever they are provided, the pathways to different sexual health services for consumers need to be clear and seamless. The National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV[rx] sets out a framework for how sexual health services should be provided in England. Similar strategies are available in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Resources, ‘toolkits’ and standards are available to support and improve sexual health services and care.[rx]–[rx]

