Myth #1: Sexual orgasm is equal to satisfaction
Fact: This is not true. Consultant gynaecologist Peter Chew said achieving an orgasm does not equal sexual satisfaction, especially for women. The most important thing is still the emotional connection underlying the act.

Myth #2: You can't be close if you don't have sexual intimacy
Fact: Emotional closeness can exist even when sex wears off. Many older couples enjoy close companionship even though sexual contact may be minimal, noted psychiatrist Calvin Fones.

Myth #3: Women don't want or enjoy sex as much as men
Fact: Women enjoy sex as much as men, except that they seek an emotional connection too. They also take longer to get aroused and are only aroused more easily during a certain time in the month when they ovulate, said Dr Chew.

Myth #4: Married people have less satisfying sex lives and less sex than single people
Fact: According to a large-scale study in the US, married people have more and better sex than their unmarried counterparts. They not only have sex more often, but also enjoy it more - both physically and emotionally.

Myth #5: If you can't be spontaneous in sex, then something must be wrong
Fact: At the start of a marriage, sex may be on tap but after the initial fascination with your partner wears off, it might take more planning. The anticipation and play involved in planning a session can also make for pretty good sex, said to Dr Chew.

Myth #6: If the sex is good, then most women can achieve orgasm through intercourse
Fact: Surveys indicate that only 30 per cent of women achieve orgasm from penetration alone. Most women need stimulation of the clitoris by hand to reach climax. It's not the fault of the man's technique or the size of his penis. It's just that the clitoris is outside the vagina and clitoral orgasms are far more common than vaginal ones.

Yet another fact: A new survey shows that seven out of 10 Singapore women believe it is a man's job to provide contraceptives. A third of women believe carrying a condom will mark them as being 'easy'.

The particular embarrassment associated with carrying condoms has 73 per cent of women here leaving the task of sexual responsibility to men as compared to around 50 per cent in the West. This attitude is particularly prevalent in Asia, stemming from traditional moral values.

The survey of 2,000 people in 10 countries, commissioned by The Body Shop and MTV Networks International, showed that only one in six women was willing to carry condoms in her handbag - with many saying that a pen or gum were more essential items for a good night out.

Typically, young men are twice as likely as young women to carry condoms, but the gender divide in Singapore is especially marked with a mere 2 per cent of women carrying condoms versus 15 per cent of men surveyed.

The survey results highlight the fact that a potentially dangerous situation may emerge in Asia due to the stigma of buying and carrying condoms, and timidity when it comes to refusing unprotected sex.

This story was first published in the Mind Your Body supplement on Apr 2, 2008.