Sexual health and fertility

Overview of Sexual Health & Fertility

Sexual health is one of the most important and least discussed aspects of whole-person wellbeing. It affects relationships, self-confidence, mood, and quality of life in ways that extend well beyond the physical. And yet it is one of the areas most patients find hardest to raise with a GP, and one of the areas most likely to be under-investigated in a standard appointment.

Mark Webster offers confidential, unhurried sexual health and fertility consultations for patients of all genders. His integrative approach looks at the hormonal, nutritional, lifestyle, and psychological factors that affect sexual health, and builds a personalised plan to address them.

Consultations are available in-person at the Stay Well Clinic in Hornby, Christchurch, or via Zoom anywhere in New Zealand, for patients who prefer the privacy of a remote consultation.

Conditions Mark works with:

For female reproductive systems:

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and its effects on fertility, cycle regularity, and hormonal balance

• Endometriosis, including pain management and fertility implications

• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

• Irregular, painful, or heavy menstrual cycles

• Fertility support, including preconception nutritional optimisation

• Low libido associated with hormonal, nutritional, or lifestyle factors

• Vaginal dryness and discomfort associated with hormonal changes

• Bladder and urinary symptoms with a hormonal or nutritional component

• Perimenopause and menopause

For male reproductive systems:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED), including the investigation of hormonal, vascular, and nutritional drivers

• Low testosterone and its effects on libido, energy, mood, and body composition

• Male fertility support, including sperm health and motility

• Prostate health, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

• Low libido associated with hormonal, nutritional, or lifestyle factors

• Premature ejaculation with an underlying physiological component

For everyone:

• Sexual health concerns related to hormonal imbalance, including conditions affecting both oestrogen and testosterone

• Fertility planning and preconception health for individuals and couples

• The sexual health effects of prescription medications (many commonly prescribed medicines affect libido, sexual function, and fertility)

• General sexual health concerns not fitting neatly into a standard medical category

About the consultation

What to expect, a private, unhurried conversation.

Mark's initial consultations start at 60 minutes, conducted in a private clinical setting. Every conversation is completely confidential. If you are booking via Zoom, the same privacy standards apply and you can consult from wherever you are most comfortable.

He will ask about your symptoms, their history, and their impact on your life. He will take a full health, diet, and medication history, as sexual health and fertility are affected by a wide range of factors including nutritional status, hormonal balance, gut health, stress, sleep, and many prescription medications.

He will not rush the conversation. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback from Mark's patients is that the consultation feels genuinely different from a GP appointment: longer, more thorough, and focused on understanding rather than categorising.

The integrative view of sexual health and fertility

Why sexual health is a whole-body issue.

Sexual function and fertility do not exist in isolation from the rest of the body. They are among the most sensitive indicators of overall health status, and among the first things to be affected when something is out of balance elsewhere.

Erectile dysfunction, for example, is now recognised as an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease in some men, as the blood vessels supplying the penis are smaller than coronary arteries and show the effects of vascular damage sooner. Low testosterone in men is associated with insulin resistance, sleep apnoea, and chronic inflammation, not simply with ageing. Low libido in women is frequently driven by thyroid dysfunction, oestrogen and progesterone imbalance, adrenal fatigue, or nutritional deficiency, not by psychological causes.

Mark's approach to sexual health starts with a thorough investigation of the whole-body context. He assesses hormonal status, cardiovascular and metabolic function, nutritional status, and the role of any medications in affecting sexual health. He builds a plan that addresses the underlying drivers, not just the presenting symptom.

Preconception and fertility support

Whether you are planning a pregnancy and want to optimise your health beforehand, or you have been trying to conceive and want to understand what factors may be involved, Mark can provide a thorough preconception nutritional and hormonal assessment.

Nutritional status has a direct and well-evidenced effect on fertility for both men and women. Folate, zinc, selenium, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, and iron are among the nutrients most directly implicated in reproductive health. Many people planning pregnancy are deficient in one or more of these without knowing it.

For women, Mark will assess hormonal balance across the cycle, the health of the luteal phase, the role of conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis in affecting fertility, and thyroid function, which is critical for early pregnancy maintenance.

For men, sperm health, motility, and morphology are directly affected by oxidative stress, nutritional status, heat exposure, and lifestyle factors. A preconception consultation for male partners is underutilised and genuinely valuable.

Mark works alongside fertility specialists and reproductive medicine teams where appropriate. He does not replace assisted reproduction services, but he can significantly improve the nutritional and hormonal environment in which those services are working.

Medication & sexual health

The effect of prescription medication on sexual health.

A significant number of commonly prescribed medications have sexual side effects that are underreported and underdiscussed. Antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) are widely associated with reduced libido, delayed orgasm, and erectile dysfunction. Antihypertensives including beta-blockers and thiazide diuretics affect sexual function in both men and women. Some hormonal contraceptives reduce libido and vaginal lubrication in certain women. Finasteride, used for hair loss and prostate conditions, is associated with persistent sexual side effects in a subset of men.

If you suspect that a medication you are taking is affecting your sexual health, Mark can review your full medication list, identify likely contributors, and advise on options, including nutritional support that may partially mitigate the effect, and where discussion with your prescribing doctor about alternatives may be appropriate.

He will not recommend stopping or changing prescription medication without medical involvement. But he will give you the full picture so that you can have an informed conversation with your GP.

A note on confidentiality and Zoom, your privacy matters

All consultations are completely confidential. Mark does not share consultation details with third parties without your explicit consent, except where required by law.

If you would prefer not to attend in person for a sexual health consultation, Zoom appointments are available for all sessions, including evenings. Many patients find the privacy of a remote consultation makes it easier to speak openly, and the quality of the consultation is not diminished by the format. Mark has conducted telehealth consultations routinely and is experienced in making them work well.