Sex File: How can I make sex pleasurable again?  

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Q. My husband and I have been married for eight years and we have recently started trying for a baby. However, I am finding sex without a condom to be painful. What's your advice on how to make it more pleasurable?

A. You are not the only person who finds a difference between sex with a condom, and sex without one. For it to actually cause you pain is something else. If it is so sore that it is stopping you having sex, you should see your GP. If what you are feeling might be better described as sensitivity, or irritation, then there are a number of different, yet interrelated, explanations. Although sex should never "hurt", in certain circumstances using condoms can make sex more comfortable. Most condoms are coated with either a water-based or a silicone lubricant, and couples often use additional lubricant too.