Lots of things affect the way that we think, feel and experience anything to do with sex, relationships and having children. No two people are quite the same. Your views are likely to be affected by many things, including:
- whether you are male or female
- your and/or your family’s views on the importance of becoming a parent
- whether you’re gay or lesbian
- your religious or cultural beliefs.
Having cancer and going through treatment can affect your self-confidence. It may take you a while to feel ready to think about relationships, sex and having children. You may also have to adjust to changes in your situation due to having cancer.
Some of the changes might be to your body and to your lifestyle; others might be to the way that you think about yourself and your future, including becoming a parent. However you feel now, this may change over time.
Most young people growing up have thoughts and feelings about themselves in terms of sex and sexual attractiveness. As they develop personal relationships, some will also start to experiment sexually. Some people will already have had some sexual experiences by the time they are diagnosed with cancer, but others won’t.
Some people have a very strong desire to become a parent throughout their childhood and teens while others don’t even think about it until they are adults.
