Anytime bodily fluids are coming out of someone, it’s uncomfortable. Blood coming out from the mysterious nether regions is particularly unsettling, and to many, men and women, a little gross. For most women periods take up three to five days each month for around four decades. That adds up, so women and their partners are almost guaranteed to want to have sex at some point during that time.
There is nothing wrong with having sex while a woman is on her period, but there are some details about this situation you (and she) might want to know first.
1. The Basic Biology
Sex education in secondary school told you the basics about a woman’s menstrual cycle, but here’s what’s important to know for this situation. A period marks the end of the body’s monthly attempt to get pregnant. Awaiting a fertilized egg, the uterus developed a thickened lining to keep this potential occupant happy. If an egg doesn’t get fertilized, the body can’t sustain this special womb, so hormone levels drop and the lining is shed.The bleeding is because there is a blood supply that went into those tissues, and it bleeds until the tissue comes out enough and the blood vessels start to close off.
2. What it Feels Like
Women may already be in a considerable amount of pain during their period, so sex may seem like it would add to that. The short answer is: it shouldn’t. There’s no reason why a woman would have more pain on her period [during sex] versus not being on her period. In other words, if she does experience pain, it’s not likely from the combination of sex and her period, but pain that would have resulted from either of those two situations anyway.
3. Caution About STD’s
Because there is blood involved, partners should be cautious about STD’s. But they should be cautious about those anyway during sex because exchange of potentially infectious fluid, including blood, is always a possibility. Use a condom if anyone’s in any way concerned about sexually transmitted infections.But mainly the blood-borne ones. Things like gonorrhea or chlamydia are not going to be more likely to be transmitted during the period.
4. Sex and Cramping
There is some debate over whether sex increases or decreases cramping. The answer is unclear. The cramping is because, as the blood is being expelled, the body is releasing its own natural chemicals that cause contractions of the uterus to help expel the blood. There’s no reason why sex or penetration or hitting the uterus is going to make that worse.Again, if a woman is having bad cramps, that was probably going to happen with or without sex.
5. Oral Sex
Penile sex or fingering during a woman’s period doesn’t carry any special risk versus sex otherwise. Oral sex is a different story. I would caution against oral sex.There’s going to be an increase in bacteria and inflammation in the blood itself. If you still want to have oral sex while a woman is on her period, consider using a dental dam or other barrier.
6. The Blood
Women can vary widely in how much blood comes out of them during their period, but it’s generally not that much. Women bleed a very small amount over the course of their periods. It might seem like it’s a lot but it’s two shot glasses, basically.Believe it or not, you might not see any blood, even with penetrative sex.
7. What the Blood Should Look Like
Take note of any blood you see because there is a difference between period blood and other bleeding that could be problematic. Period blood, because it’s been in the uterus a while and includes other tissue cells, is generally dark and thick and may be clotted. Period blood doesn’t generally look like the blood you’d see from a cut.
8. Women Can Get Pregnant on Their Period
Yes. You can absolutely get a woman pregnant if you have sex with her on her period. While the period is the least likely time for a woman to get pregnant, sperm could wait for the next egg to be released. Sperm can stay in a woman’s body for seven days. So if a woman has a short cycle and you have sex with her near the end of it, she can become pregnant.
Credits: Cosmopolitan Magazine – A guide to sex and menstration
Thanks for the info…
This is very informative, it cleared several issues I had on the topic, but as for me, I would rather stay clear of the situation for the duration. I can’t stand the sight of blood.
Manny the long lost MDB’er