Sex On Your Period? What You Need to Know

We all know the phrase, both from popular culture and everyday conversation: “We can’t have sex, I’m on my period.” Being on your period can affect your sexual desire levels, as well as cause an unnecessary level of mess that feels anything but sexy. Nonetheless, many women’s sexual desire can peak mid-cycle¹, which can make them want to have sex during their period. If you are looking to engage in sexual intercourse in the middle of menstruating, this guide has been created to outline the risks of period sex, the importance of safe sex practices, and how to keep it hygienic. Take a look below to get the full overview.

Read on to learn about:

• Can You Get Pregnant if You Have Sex on Your Period?
• Can You Have Unprotected Sex On Your Period
• Safer Sex Practices During Menstruation
• Conclusion

Can You Get Pregnant if You Have Sex on Your Period?

Your period is part of your menstrual cycle, which typically lasts for 28 days². On the first day, the body discards the monthly build-up that lines your uterus. This is a sign that you didn’t get pregnant in your previous cycle. You might think that because you are menstruating your likelihood of getting pregnant is zero. But this couldn’t be further from the case, as while the likelihood is lower, you can, in fact, get pregnant during every part of your cycle.

Can You Have Unprotected Sex On Your Period

If you are on the pill and both partners are tested for STDs, then unprotected sex on your period comes with less risk. Nonetheless, if you are not on the pill or having sex with people that you don’t know, then being on your period does not protect against pregnancy or STDs. That’s why it’s very important to make sure that condoms always stay on, period or not.

The Possibility of Pregnancy During Menstruation

While the likelihood of becoming pregnant during menstruation is lessened, there is still a chance for you to get pregnant. This is because sperm can survive in a woman’s body for an average of three days, while sometimes able to survive for five days³. This means that even if you are not fertile at a certain point, the survival of the sperm could lead to impregnation later on.

Factors That Affect Pregnancy Risk

Various factors affect pregnancy risk, including your ovulation window. Generally speaking, during the average woman’s menstrual cycle, the fertility window is five days before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself⁴. Other factors that can affect your likelihood of getting pregnant are:

• Age
• Previous pregnancy
• Time and frequency of intercourse
• Weight
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Other underlying medical conditions

Therefore, if you are not looking to become pregnant, doing so during your period can decrease the likelihood. Nonetheless, it’s still very much possible!

Safer Sex Practices During Menstruation

Menstruation is no excuse for poor sex practices. If in doubt, you should certainly be using condoms to minimize the risk of spreading STDs and becoming pregnant. Additionally, being on your period can also be a chance to figure out chances to be intimate without sex, You can try massages, watching a movie together, or even cuddling instead of traditional intercourse.

Hygiene and Comfort Tips

To keep both partners comfortable during period sex, there are a bunch of techniques that you should be implementing to keep it comfortable. These include:

• Using plenty of lube to ease discomfort
• Wearing condoms to prevent blood leaking on the penis and STDs/Pregnancy
• Shower sex to avoid mess
• Lay towels down for easy cleaning

Whatever you do, you must communicate with your partner to express your needs during period sex. This is especially true when it comes to the positions that you use to make sure that both of you enjoy intimacy without discomfort.

Conclusion

We hope this article has covered the bases for you. Period sex can be messy and can be rather intimidating at first, but once you get used to it and make sure that you are protected, it can be just as fulfilling, if not more fulfilling, than regular sex. By following the tips that we have suggested in the article above, you will be happy to know that sex doesn’t have to stop for a few days each month. Followed properly, nothing has to stop you from getting your freak on with your partner, period or otherwise.

Resources:

1. Science Direct, 2013, Hormonal predictors of sexual motivation in natural menstrual cycles
2. Cleveland Clinic, 2022, Menstrual Cycle
3. National Institute of Health, 1986, Natural methods of family planning
4. National Institute of Health, 2000, The timing of the “fertile window” in the menstrual cycle: day specific estimates from a prospective study

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