What is Autoerotic Asphyxiation? 

Gary Roy, Greenfield, MA

Dear Gary,

Autoerotic Asphyxiation is the act of masturbating and simultaneously choking oneself into a state of unconsciousness. People do this by hanging their head off the bed or tying something around their neck whilst masturbating. There is also "erotic asphyxiation," where couples get turned on by one choking the other during sexual acts.

It can be dangerous because sometimes, in the midst of passion, people don't realize how far the asphyxiation is going until it's too late. If you are going to engage in this kind of act by yourself or with others, I suggest that you be very cautious.

Be good to yourself, Gary.

My girlfriend says that she has had her tubes "tied," but she maintains that this can be reversed and she would still be able to have children. Do you know if this is true and how she would go about doing this? Again, she doesn't say she was "fixed" (don't know the actual word) but that they were "tied." I have never heard of any procedure that just ties the tubes so I'm a bit confused.

Jack Magnum, Lexington, KY

Dear Jack,

It is definitely possible for a woman to have her tubes untied, but that does not guarantee that she will become pregnant. Your girlfriend did not have a hysterectomy; she underwent a tubal ligation. Just the same, women who have undergone a tubal ligation have sometimes gotten pregnant. The complication that occurs, however, is that the embryo may get stuck within the tubes.

So to sum up, it is possible for your girlfriend to get her tubes untied and it is also possible for her to get pregnant. The problem, however, is that she may have complications. I wish you two the best of luck and let me know how things go.

If my girlfriend is taking the pill, is there any possibility of pregnancy if I don't wear a condom? I've heard that women on the pill can still become pregnant, but I'm not sure if it's true. 

Lee Dament, Seattle, WA

Dear Lee,

In truth, no method of birth control is 100% effective, but the pill is about 99.4% effective. And if she takes her pill every day at the same time, chances are that she will not get pregnant until the both of you are prepared to start a family.

Keep in mind that sperm can live inside a woman for up to five days after its initial release. And don't forget that the pill does not repel STDs.

Watch yourself and have fun.

I need some help. In my last relationship, I was able to find my girlfriend's G-spot. I actually discovered it without even knowing what it was.

I have been in a new relationship for almost a year now. We haven't had sex yet, but we do perform oral sex whenever we are feeling a little "excited." I have tried to find her spot on countless occasions, and it is starting to frustrate the both of us.

I know the area that it's in because, like I said, I found it on a previous girlfriend. And I am not talking about five or six tries, either. Almost every time I go down on her I give it a try, but with no luck. Is there anything you can suggest?

James Bellows, Etobicoke, Canada

Dear James,

Perhaps you weren't aware of this, but there are some experts that believe the G-spot is just a myth (Dr. Ruth, for instance). I, however, believe that every woman has a G-spot, although some are harder to provoke than others. It's not because they're in different areas; it's because different women require different amounts of pressure and velocity.

Why not read up on a woman's genitalia and see if that helps. I strongly suggest that both of you stop concentrating your energies on hitting that spot, you're only adding to the difficulty of the whole scenario. Get comfortable with each other; experiment rather than act like it's a marathon with a deadline.