To be frank, doctor, she will not let me have anal sex. I am surprised at this, because I have seen how easy it is for the girls in the porn films. But she says that she would not enjoy it, and she claims it would be real painful for her. Is this true? What do you think I should do?

A. You should not be influenced by these rather dubious movies. It is true that the actresses in those films will go in for ANY kind of sexual activity - including anal (rectal) sex.

But what you do not realise is that these women have spent a long time in 'learning' to allow their bottoms to be penetrated. As a result, nearly all of them have anal openings which have become 'sagging' - that is, excessively wide.

As a result, quite a few of them will have problems with 'going out.' Many will have embarrassing 'leakages' later on in life.

So my sympathies are with your partner. She is quite correct in saying that anal sex would hurt her. The female bottom opening is not very big, and it is likely to be split — and to bleed — if a guy forces his organ into it. So I think that this is one 'adventurous' activity that you should forget about.

I have never been pregnant before, but my boyfriend has children. And he would like more.

So I went to see a gynaecologist and I learned from her that I have something called 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'. What is that, please?

She told me that it is this syndrome that makes my periods so irregular. She also said that when I am ready to have my baby she could treat me with fertility drugs.

Tell me, doc, how can I get rid of this illness? Is there a cure for it? I do not like the idea of taking fertility drugs, so what are the chances of me getting pregnant without them?

A. Sorry to hear that you have been fretting about this. In fact, 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' - also known as 'PCOS' - is very, very common indeed.

So much so that I once stood in a bank queue on King Street and saw that three women ahead of me all probably had it.

So it is a frequent cause of infertility. The main features of PCOS are:

In fact, not everyone with PCOS is infertile - so you may be able to have babies without any medical help. I am not clear whether you have actually been trying for a child over the last three years. But if you have, then it is probable that you have some degree of fertility problem.

Now, what is this common condition of PCOS?

Well, let me first explain the name 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.' The word 'polycystic' means 'containing many cysts.' And a cyst is a an enclosed collection of fluid - looking rather like a bubble.

So, in this disorder, your ovaries contain lots of little cysts - or, as they are often called, 'follicles.' Unfortunately, these cystic ovaries produce excessive amounts of MALE hormones, and in particular the famous testosterone.

That testosterone tends to give the woman some hair on her face, and may also cause her to have spots on the skin.

In addition, most women with PCOS have abnormally high levels of the hormone INSULIN in their blood, and this is not good for them.

You ask if you can 'get rid' of this illness on your own. I am afraid that is not possible. But these days, it can be treated.

The five main aims of treatment are:

Obviously, when the woman is ready to try and conceive, she has to stop taking the contraceptive Pill. She can then be given 'fertility tablets,' such as clomiphene (aka clomifene) - which helps makes the ovary produce an egg.

You can see that this is a real complex condition, and that the treatment is pretty complicated too! My advice to you is to stick with the doc who has made the diagnosis. Tell her when you are ready to get pregnant, and she will help you. Good luck.

A. These days, quite a lot of couples go in for 'shaving,' because it seems to give them a certain amount of sexual satisfaction.

That is OK - but sometimes the little hair 'follicles' at the roots of the shaven hair become inflamed. That is what has happened to you.

Please buy yourself a good antiseptic skin cream from a pharmacy, and use it regularly for a month. But if that does not improve matters, you may have to regrow your pubic hair.

A. It is possible that your Pill is a little too low in dosage for you. That often causes 'spotting.' Ask your doc to change the brand. But if that does not work, you should see a gynaecologist.

A. That is a possibility. Please ask a doc to send a 'sperm test' to the lab for you. The technicians will count the number of sperms in your fluid, and check if they are swimming properly, and if they are structurally OK. Good luck.