By Jessica Green and Emily Craig Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 07:07 EDT, 12 August 2022 | Updated: 08:56 EDT, 12 August 2022
Young women who have anal sex are being 'put at risk' because doctors are failing to warn them of the dangers, researchers have claimed.
Two female NHS surgeons wrote in the British Medical Journal that anal intercourse is becoming more common among straight couples because it is portrayed as 'racy and daring' in popular TV shows.
They said doctors 'have a duty to acknowledge changes in society' and 'to meet these changes with open neutral and non-judgmental conversations'.
Yet GPs and other medics are 'shying away' from flagging the risks due to 'societal taboos', which threatens to 'fail a generation of young women, who are unaware of the risks'.
Current NHS guidance on anal sex only considers sexually transmitted diseases, omitting physical injury risks or the psychological trauma.
Here, FEMAIL reveals how to approach anal sex safely by discussing it with your partner and always preparing...
Young women who have anal sex are being 'put at risk' because doctors are failing to warn them of the dangers, researchers have claimed (stock photo)
HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE TRIED ANAL SEX?
Official estimates suggest more than a quarter of British and American women have tried anal sex with their male partners, either because they were curious, enjoy it or they felt pressured to.
Dr Tabitha Gana and Dr Lesley Hunt - who are colorectal surgeons at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals - said anal sex has 'moved from the world of pornography to mainstream media'.
It has become more common among heterosexual couples, with 28.5 per cent of British women aged 16 to 24 saying they have done it. The rate jumps to 30 to 44 per cent among American men and women.
Dr Gana and Dr Hunt said: 'It is no longer considered an extreme behaviour but increasingly portrayed as a prized and pleasurable experience.'
Sex expert Tracey Cox explained: 'Heterosexuals have well and truly caught on: prostate stimulating toys are one of the fastest growing markets in sex toys.
'The anus is packed with nerve endings and anal stimulation is something enjoyed by all sexualities.'
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF HAVING ANAL SEX?
Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Gana and Dr Hunt said the style of intercourse can cause pain, bleeding, incontinence and long-term injuries.
They warned it is 'risky' because it is linked with alcohol, drugs, multiple sexual partners, less use of condoms and a higher risk of sexually transmitted disease.
The health service warns that anal sex carries a higher risk of transmitting sexually transmitted infections than other sexual activities.
This is because the lining of the anus is thin and can be easily damaged, which makes it more vulnerable to infection.
Inserting a penis, fingers or sex toy in the anus all count as anal sex.
It urges people to use condoms when having anal sex and use a new condom if having vaginal sex straight after.
But colorectal surgeons warn that the risk of anal sex goes further than STIs. They say women who do it are at risk of faecal incontinence, injuries to their anal sphincter and bleeding.
They called for doctors to warn women about the risks. They also urged the NHS to address their 'lacking' public health messaging.
Women who engage in anal sex are more likely to suffer incontinence than men, as women have 'less robust' anal sphincters and lower anal canal strength, so damage is 'more consequential', they wrote.
Traumatic abrasions, bleeding and tear to the anus are also risks, the surgeons said.
Additionally, a quarter of women with experience of anal sex say they were pressured into it at least once.
WHY YOU NEED TO PLAN BEFORE HAVING ANAL SEX FOR THE FIRST TIME
Tracey Cox warned that a first attempt at anal sex should be prepared and 'never be done while you’re drunk or high because there is a right and wrong way to do it'.
She said: 'Never ever attempt penetration without first inserting fingers or anal toys and lube – over a period of time. The rectum needs time to get used to things inside it.
The first step is to get your partner to apply lots of lube and using the pad of their finger, gently massage the entrance.
'Wait until your muscles relax, then get them to insert their finger in a little. Once they’ve been doing this over a few sessions, get them to insert one finger until it feels comfortable, then two.
'The next stage is to use a butt plug: a small toy that you put inside and leave in while you continue to have sex in your usual way. Plugs get the rectum used to relaxing around an inserted object.
'Then and only then should you attempt anal intercourse – with full permission from your partner.'
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR PARTNER ABOUT ANAL SEX
When trying something new with a partner, sex and relationship expert Tracey said you must each talk about what you’d like to do before going through with it.
She said both partners need to be positive and confident when asking for what they want, be clear about what you want and talk it through completely.
‘Asking someone to try something new can make people feel insecure. They think: “Why am I not enough anymore?”, “Does this mean they don't enjoy 'normal' sex?”,’ explained Tracey.
‘If they say no to your request, it often leaves them feeling unadventurous, prudish and deeply unsexy.
‘Talking about the reasons why it appeals, tactfully and laced with loads of sexual compliments reassuring them they're still sexy, often fixes the problem. Are they saying no to this particular act or anything new?
‘Could be they're feeling insecure about your feelings for them or angry and withholding sex as punishment for you not fulfilling other needs.
‘Also ask if anything happened in their past which puts them off doing what you're suggesting now.’
She added that neither partner should trick the other into doing something they don’t want to do.
‘Similarly, don't make veiled threats to leave or get “it” elsewhere if they don't comply. This is absolutely unacceptable,’ she insisted.
‘If your partner won't be persuaded, I'd suggest you accept defeat graciously and suggest an alternative.
‘If you honestly think you can't be true to yourself unless you have this new experience on a regular basis, leave in search of someone who wants what you do.’
ARE DOCTORS PUTTING YOUNG WOMEN AT RISK BY FAILING TO WARN THEM ABOUT THE HARMS OF ANAL SEX?
Dr Gana and Dr Hunt called for doctors to quiz patients with symptoms about whether they have anal sex.
They said medics were put off doing so by concerns about 'taboos' or being branded 'judgmental' or 'homophobic'.
Otherwise they risk 'missed diagnoses, futile treatments and further harm arising from a lack of medical advice', they warned.
And GPs and specialist digestive and colorectal medics should ensure women 'have all the information they need to make informed choices about sex'.
They also urged the NHS to address their 'lacking' public health messaging on anal sex, which only details the higher rate of of STIs without setting out other physical risks as well as the 'psychological aftermath' of being coerced into it.
This has led to a 'plethora of non-medical or pseudomedical websites fill the health information void'.
These sites 'may increase societal pressure to try anal sex' rather than helping women 'make informed decisions', they said.
Dr Gana and Dr Hunt wrote: 'By avoiding these discussions, we may be failing a generation of young women, who are unaware of the risks.
'With better information, women who want anal sex would be able to protect themselves more effectively from possible harm.
'And those who agree to anal sex reluctantly to meet society's expectations or please partners, may feel better empowered to say no.'
The pair said that health workers are duty-bound to 'acknowledge changes in society around anal sex in young women'.
These should be met 'with open neutral and non-judgmental conversations' so all women have information to make informed choices about sex, they added.
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline?
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group