Singapore is Sexless in the city
With all the recent attention-grabbing headlines on nudity and public displays of affection, it would seem that Singaporeans are becoming more open about sex.
However, this is not the case for some couples whom gynaecologist Dr Yong Tze Tein sees at her clinic.
A senior consultant at the Singapore General Hospital’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Dr Yong has seen her fair share of married couples who have sexual dysfunction and problems consummating.
In the past two to three years, she has seen 12 such cases – a figure which represents only the tip of an iceberg, since most people are too embarrassed to come forward and admit their problem.
A majority of the couples Dr Yong sees are in their 30s and have been married for a few years. They end up being referred to her when they are unable to successfully conceive.
According to Dr Yong, the sexual dysfunction issues she has seen are varied. For instance, there was a female patient with an anatomical problem – her hymen was so thick that it was impossible for sexual penetration to occur – and surgery was required to fix that.
“We’ve seen couples who try to have sexual intercourse but do not succeed, so the women end up not having any actual penetration. They are either not very sure what to do or have misconceptions about how sex is like,” said Dr Yong, who recommended that both husband and wife see her at the same time for treatment.