You try to look at the bright side at mid-life, to find the silver lining. Okay, you say, so I occasionally sweat profusely for no apparent reason, I'm moodier than ever and I can't seem to remember s _ _ _ , but at least I don't have to worry about those damned condoms anymore! Get out the Kama Sutra and squeeze into some lingerie, it's party time! Heck, menopause hasn't given you much to smile about besides worry free sex, so make the most of it, right? Sexual freedom at last! No chance of getting pregnant, no worries?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but while unintended pregnancy may not be an issue anymore, there's a new kid in town and it's called HIV. Old news, you say? Not a problem for middle-aged, monogamists like yourself? If you really believe that, do yourself a favor and keep reading. Also, you might want to dig that box of condoms back out of the garbage, you're gonna need them.
According to an article in the April 2009 issue of More Magazine, one in three women who are newly infected with HIV are women over forty. And, it's not just the divorcees having a fling with the pool-boy who are getting infected. In putting themselves back on the market, the newly single may be at risk, but married women may actually be at even greater risk. Single women, who don't have a long-standing relationship built of trust, are more likely to use condoms. But married women tend to trust their spouses and, as long as the threat of pregnancy is removed, think that they have nothing else to worry about. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
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