Sex During Your Period

Yes, it is safe to have sex during your period!

Many cultures and religions prohibit sex during menstruation. These restrictions are based on the belief that a woman is impure or even dirty during her period.

 You should not be ashamed about your period. 

Believe it or not, having sex during your period might actually be therapeutic. Because of the hormones that are released during sex and orgasm, having sex during your period may actually improve menstrual cramps and some PMS symptoms.

Now, you may choose not to have sex during your period because of religious or cultural beliefs, but there is absolutely no medical reason not to have sex during your period.

But make it your decision. This is always the best approach to sex. 

Although it is unlikely that you will get pregnant during your period especially if you have regular cycles it is still a possibility.  Your chances of getting pregnant during your period are increased if you have longer or irregular periods. Using contraception will decrease your chances of getting pregnant. Remember you should always use condoms to decrease the risk of getting an STD.

Having oral sex during your period is safe. To minimize the mess you could use the menstrual cup or contraceptive sponge or even just a tampon. Just remember to take them out when you are done.  If you don't want to put anything in your vagina you could use a dental dam.  A dental dam is a cut square of latex that is used to protect against STDs during oral sex. It will also protect your partner from your menstrual blood. If you don’t have a dental dam you can cut open a condom and use it instead. 

There is no denying the fact that sex during your period can get a bit messy, and who wants to worry about staying on top of a towel while you're having sex? With a little bit of preplanning, you can reduce the amount of mess or at least protect your bed sheets.

To minimize the amount of blood in your vagina during sex you could try using a menstrual cup. 

A menstrual cup is a relatively small flexible device that is an alternative to tampons and pads to manage your menstrual blood flow.  It essentially collects the blood as it passes through the cervix so it keeps the vagina underneath it relatively clean. You may not feel comfortable using this sort of device. Depending on your vagina it might get too crowded during sex and it actually may be a bit painful. 

Another option is the vaginal contraceptive sponge. It will trap your menstrual blood in the upper vagina just like the menstrual cup. It may not be quite as effective at collecting the blood but it may be a bit more comfortable. It does have the added benefit of being a form of birth control.

 Another option is to use a female condom.

A female condom sits inside your vagina. When used as a barrier contraceptive method it protects you from your male partner’s penis so it protects against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.  Using a female condom during your period will also protect your male partner’s penis from your menstrual blood. He could also use a regular condom to cover up. Remember condoms are an important part of practicing safe sex to reduce your risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease.

One casualty of having sex during your period is forgetting to take out your tampon before you start. Having sex with a tampon in your vagina is not harmful. It may decrease your lubrication or, depending on your vagina, it might be uncomfortable.  But chances are you will not even notice it. And, that is the problem. If you forgot to take out your tampon before sex you likely will forget you even have one still in your vagina. That is until you start to have a very foul odor coming from your vagina in a few days. See How To Remove A Stuck Tampon for more details.