Guidelines for Hygiene and Scientific Positions During Newlywed Sexual Relationships: Protecting Men's Health and Ushering in a Harmonious Honeymoon

Honeymoon Hygiene

The honeymoon is romantic and sweet, but sexual activity during this period is often passionate but inexperienced. Therefore, neglecting hygiene can easily lead to infections of the urinary and reproductive systems.

(1) Pay attention to the hygiene of the external genitalia: Newlyweds must wash their external genitalia before sexual intercourse on their wedding night. The male urethra or urethral opening often carries bacteria, which can easily be introduced into the female urethra during intercourse. If the male has a long foreskin, smegma buildup without cleaning can cause inflammation of the female reproductive tract through frequent sexual activity. Therefore, when cleaning the penis, the male must retract the foreskin and clean the glans, coronal sulcus, etc. If the foreskin is too long, it is best to have it removed before marriage. The female vulva is more susceptible to contamination due to the proximity of the urethra and anus, so maintaining vulvar cleanliness is even more important. Infections caused by sexual intercourse in women, besides reproductive tract inflammation, most commonly include urethritis and cystitis. This is because friction during intercourse involves the urethra, allowing bacteria to enter through the urethral opening. If the inflammation is not controlled in time, the bacteria can continue to ascend, causing serious diseases such as pyelonephritis. Therefore, in addition to ensuring the cleanliness of both partners' external genitalia before intercourse, newlyweds should urinate after each sexual encounter, emptying their bladder as much as possible to flush out bacteria from the urethra. At the same time, newlyweds should avoid roughness and impatience to prevent injury to the woman's reproductive organs.

(2) The timing and frequency of sexual intercourse should be carefully managed: The frequency of intercourse during the honeymoon period is generally high, typically 1-2 times per day. As age increases and the duration of marriage lengthens, the frequency of intercourse gradually decreases, with young people having 2-3 times per week and middle-aged people 1-2 times per week. There are no set rules or optimal frequencies for sexual activity. The principle is simply that your body can adapt and you shouldn't get too tired. The duration of sexual intercourse varies from person to person and is often related to factors such as age, physical condition, personality, and occupation. Even for the same person, libido can change under different environments, physiological conditions, or mental states. Increasing age, weakening constitution, menstruation, life's troubles, and heavy, stressful work can all suppress sexual desire. Sexual activity also requires a quiet and comfortable environment, a relaxed and pleasant mood, and good self-awareness. Therefore, the timing and frequency of sexual activity are not fixed. Generally, couples can choose to have sex before going to sleep at night, allowing sufficient rest time afterward. Sexual intercourse before getting up in the morning may affect work and study during the day. However, sexual arousal cannot be planned or predicted in advance; the best time for sexual intercourse is when both partners are highly aroused and have sexual desire. In the practice of sexual life, couples should gradually develop their own habits and try to choose times when they have sufficient rest before engaging in sexual activity. Sexual behavior itself has no impact on the body. However, if one feels listless and fatigued after sexual activity, it indicates that the frequency of sexual activity is too high and should be reduced appropriately. Furthermore, excessive sexual activity can also interfere with necessary rest. The intensity of sexual desire between husband and wife will not be exactly the same; therefore, from the perspective of caring for and being considerate of each other, it is important to appropriately control the frequency of sexual activity to achieve a harmonious, happy, and healthy sex life.

Sexual Positions

Sexual positions refer to the postures adopted by couples during sexual intercourse. This is one of the important measures for coordinating a couple's sex life. Because every couple's lifestyle, specific conditions, and physiological needs are different, the positions chosen during sexual activity cannot be the same for everyone. Some sexual positions can increase the chances of conception, some are beneficial for eugenics, and some have the function of preventing and treating diseases and maintaining health. Therefore, as long as a sexual position does not harm physical and mental health and is acceptable to both partners, it is normal and reasonable, and it meets the physiological, psychological, and health needs of the human body.

There are many different sexual positions, with over a hundred passed down from ancient times. An 18th-century German philosopher, based on ancient Greek and Roman sexological data, summarized 48 methods of sexual intercourse. It is said that Europeans have always considered the missionary position (man on top) to be the best standard position; Egyptians prefer the woman-on-front position and consider it a natural position; people in some parts of Africa believe that the woman sitting on top of the man is their most preferred and appropriate position; while Asians mostly prefer the missionary position (woman on top), believing it to be the most suitable both physiologically and psychologically. The following are 10 main sexual positions summarized and categorized by sexologists:

(1) Man on top, woman on bottom: This is the most common standard position. In this position, the woman lies supine on the bed or sofa with her legs apart and knees slightly bent, while the man lies prone on top of her. The man is the primary actor in intercourse. The man's position can be slightly varied, such as squatting, standing, or kneeling. The characteristics of this position are:

① The bodies of both partners are in complete contact, giving a feeling of being one;

② After penile insertion, kissing is possible without the consequence of muscle tension;

③ This position is easy to learn and adapt to, and also makes conception easier;

④ Sometimes, the man's weight may become a burden for the woman.

(2) Woman on top: The man lies supine on the bed with his legs together. The woman spreads her legs apart, placing them outside the man's legs, and lies on top of him, moving up and down like the man, allowing the penis to rub against the vagina. In this position, the woman has the initiative, and the man can relax more. This position can also be slightly modified into a kneeling straddle position, where the woman kneels upright on the man's legs, leaning back. In this way, the man can use his elbows to support his body and get closer to the woman, or he can bend his legs to provide support for her. The advantage of this position is that some women only need to move their pelvis or wiggle their hips to receive various forms of vaginal stimulation, making it easier to experience orgasm. This position is more suitable for men with poor physical condition, middle-aged and elderly men, or pregnant women.

(3) Woman in front, man behind: In this position, the man's penis is inserted into the woman's vagina from behind. The woman kneels or lies prone on the bed or sofa, supporting her body with her knees and hands, and raising her hips high. This position can be slightly varied, with the woman's upper body leaning forward on the edge of the bed or sofa armrest, her legs spread apart, while the man's feet are on the ground, and his upper body is on top of her back. This woman-in-front-man-behind position can bring immense pleasure to both partners. In this position, the man can freely use his hands to caress the woman's breasts, labia, clitoris, buttocks, back, and legs, providing intense stimulation. The depth of penile penetration can also be adjusted depending on the position. Furthermore, this position does not compress the woman's abdomen, making it especially suitable for pregnant women. For women with a retroverted uterus, this position can also help increase the chances of conception.

(4) Side-lying position: Both partners lie on their sides, without needing to support each other's weight, making it very comfortable for both and potentially prolonging intercourse. Although penile penetration may be shallower and movements less flexible in this position, the pleasure and intimacy it provides are generally satisfying for both partners. This position is especially suitable for couples with lower back or back problems or those lacking energy. It is also suitable for the elderly and pregnant women.

(5) Man lying down, woman sitting: The man lies supine on a bed, sofa, or recliner with his legs together, while the woman straddles him from the front or back. The man remains still, while the woman remains seated, alternating up-and-down movements. The movements are from top to back and down, and from bottom to front and up. Due to the concentrated and balanced pressure, the friction is intense, allowing both partners to reach orgasm through strong stimulation. The disadvantage of this position is that the man is completely passive during intercourse, making it particularly suitable for situations where the man is tired and weak while the woman is energetic and in high spirits. Pregnant women should not use this position because the woman's weight can cause the penis to penetrate too deeply, potentially leading to an accident. Overweight women should also avoid this position due to their excessive weight.

(6) Woman lying down, man standing: The woman lies supine on the bed with her buttocks close to the edge of the bed and her legs raised to a 90-degree angle with her upper body. The man stands on the floor beside the bed, placing the woman's legs above his shoulders; or the woman's legs are bent, and the man uses his arms to hold her legs, with his hands holding the base of her thighs. The penis is inserted into the vagina from the front. Sometimes, the woman can also lie supine on a low table or coffee table, with the man standing and inserting from the front; or the woman can lie prone on a bench, with the man standing and inserting from behind. This position effectively reduces the gap between the genitals of both partners, thereby increasing friction on the clitoris and enhancing sexual pleasure.

(7) Seated Position: The man sits on a chair, and the woman straddles his legs, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding his neck with her hands; or the woman straddles the man's legs with her back to him, holding his legs with her hands. After the penis is inserted into the vagina, both partners can move freely to enjoy the pleasure of sex.

(8) Standing Position: The man and woman stand facing each other, with the woman's legs apart and the man's legs together. The man lifts his penis and inserts it into the vagina, making up-and-down movements. He can also hold the woman's waist and move her up and down, creating friction inside the vagina. A rear-entry position can also be used, with the man holding the woman's waist and inserting his penis from behind. The woman's upper body is upright, or she can bend forward 90 degrees, or touch the ground with her hands. (9) Woman sitting, man kneeling: The woman sits on a low, spacious chair or sofa, leaning back with her legs spread as wide as possible. The man kneels in front of the woman, leaning forward, and inserts his penis into her vagina.

(10) Woman sitting, man standing: The woman sits on a chair with her legs resting on the armrests or a table. The man stands opposite her, inserting his penis into her vagina from the front.

Practice has shown that studying sexual positions has the following significance:

(1) Psychological needs: For example, the missionary position is a traditional position widely used by people around the world. Using the same position for decades can easily lead to boredom. Frequently changing positions creates novelty, which helps stimulate sexual interest in both partners, increases physiological pleasure, and promotes psychological harmony. (2) Physiological Needs: Some men have physiological defects, such as short penis, one partner being overweight, or the woman having a low vaginal opening. Choosing a suitable position to address these defects can overcome the inconveniences caused by these defects, thereby improving sexual harmony and fostering tacit understanding between the couple.

(3) Health Needs: For pregnant women, especially in the mid-to-late stages of pregnancy, using the traditional missionary position can compress the abdomen and is detrimental to perinatal health. Changing to a suitable position is beneficial for both sexual health and eugenics, achieving two goals at once.

(4) Treatment Needs: For men with ejaculatory dysfunction and women with frigidity, changing to a suitable position may alleviate their symptoms to some extent.