Q Doctor, am I turning into a man? I am a 22-year-old woman and I have had a lot of trouble with my menses, which don't arrive as often as they should, and also cause spotty skin.

I now have a good gynaecologist and he is doing a lot of tests on me. I am hopeful he will be able to cure me.

However, I am fretting about one thing, Doc. He has asked the lab to do blood tests on me but I am alarmed to see that he has requested them to check me for testosterone.

Now, Doc, I know that testosterone is a male hormone and I have been told where some weightlifters in other countries are given it illegally in order to make them stronger.

Also, my friend has told me that testosterone makes guys hostile and aggressive, or maybe even criminal.

I don't want anything like that! So why is he testing me for testosterone?

A Please try not to fret about that. Testosterone is indeed a male sex hormone but it is produced by both men and women.

I know that seems surprising because most people associate testosterone with the testicles. Of course, women do not have testicles.

However, females do produce a certain amount of testosterone from their ovaries and also from the adrenal glands, which lie just above the kidneys. Testosterone can be found in the bloodstream of all adult women.

Admittedly, females do produce a lot less testosterone than men do. However, significant amounts are produced every day.

In women, it mainly helps with building up the body and making it strong. Some doctors think it increases sexual desire in females just as it does in males. Indeed, a few docs give it to ladies who complain of inadequate libido.

It is true that in both males and females, testosterone, taken as a medication, can increase strength and speed. Very recently, research has suggested that in women a high natural testosterone level is associated with greater success in business and in study!

This is probably because it does have a slight tendency to make people more aggressive.

I don't know what the gynaecologist thinks is wrong with you but, as you have been having scanty menses and spots on the skin, it is pretty reasonable to check out the levels of all your hormones, including the female ones.

It could be that you will eventually need a little hormone medication to regularise your periods and to improve the skin. I am sure the gynaecologist will do the best thing for you and you should be guided by him. Good luck.

Q Doc, my wife has just given birth and we have a fine son. A female relative has told her we need not use any birth control for the next year because she is breastfeeding, which gives her special protection against pregnancy.

I am not so sure. Is this safe?

A This way of preventing unwanted pregnancy is called 'the lactational method', or the 'lactational amenorrhoea method'. The word 'amenorrhoea' means 'absence of menses'.

The method is based on a discovery in Africa years ago, when it was found that women who breastfed intensively were unlikely to conceive.

Does it work? Well, earlier this month a very good research paper on contraception was published. It originated from the University of the West Indies' St Augustine campus in Trinidad and from a university in Belgium.

The conclusion of the authors was that the lactational method generally works, because suckling (feeding) a baby suppresses egg release and also prevents the periods from returning for a while.

However, the researchers say that for the method to work three conditions must be fulfilled:

The baby must be nearly exclusively breastfed (i.e., no bottles) on demand, day and night.

The mother must have had no periods since the delivery.

The method must not be used for longer than six months.

If your wife thinks she really can breastfeed as intensely as that, the method will probably work.

Please bear in mind there are alternatives. For instance, your wife could simply go on the mini-Pill (progestogen-only Pill) while she is breastfeeding.

Q I am a woman, age 25, who is five feet, seven-and-a-half inches tall. I weigh 115lb.

I need to gain at least 10lb but no matter how I try, I can't do so. Sometimes I have no appetite at all.

A I would urge you to have a complete medical check-up to try to determine why you are underweight.

There are many possible reasons for underweight, including worm infestation, thyroid trouble and diabetes ('sugar'). You also have to bear in mind the possibility of anorexia nervosa (the 'slimmer's disease').

When you visit the doc you will need blood and urine tests. Also, if you have had any coughing, breathlessness or spitting of blood, you would need a chest X-ray.

I hope the doc will find a simple reason why you have not been able to put on weight. However, if there is no disease present, the doctor will guide you towards eating more calorie-rich foods. I wish you well.

Q At age 22 I am just about to embark on my first physical relationship. She is a married woman.

I really do not know anything about having sex. Is it true that you have to go through some kind of foreplay first?

A Are you sure it is wise to start off by going to bed with a married woman? You could run into a lot of trouble. Do you perhaps mean she is divorced and, therefore, is on her own?

However, basically you are right. Couples generally get the best satisfaction from sex if the precede intercourse by spending some time on what is often termed love play or foreplay.

This prepares the woman, in a tender and romantic manner, so that she is sexually stimulated and relaxed. There are many websites which tell you how to do this type of thing. For instance, log on to www.joyofchristiansex.com.

I caution, however, that it really would not be a good idea for you to embark on an affair with a woman who is married to someone else.

Q Is it true that if a guy discharges too soon he can get some kind of condom that makes him last longer?

A Yes. There are now condoms, invented in Germany, I believe, which contain a little 'local anaesthetic' inside.

The idea of these is that they are supposed to dull the sensation in the penis. If they don't work for you, consult a doctor.

Email questions about any medical issue to Doc at saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com.