Image of "period" with a bright red period at the end of it.

Sexual activity during periods. Equally a sexual health educator, I am asked about this subject a lot.

"Exercise other couples do it?" "How does it work?" "Will I get pregnant?"

There are some myths and one-half-truths floating effectually near sex during a menses, so we are going to try to set the tape directly…

Can yous have sexual activity on your catamenia?

Yes. But like all issues surrounding sex, communication is critical. This means checking in with your partner. Depending on whether you're the one menstruating or non, questions might include: "How practice you feel during your period? Would you ever want to accept sex while you lot're menstruating?" or "I'm on my menstruation right now. How do you experience about having sex activity while I'thousand menstruating?" For many folks who menstruate, sexual want changes during different times of the menstrual cycle. For example, a person might experience increased want during menstruation or ovulation – it all depends on the person. Be sure to talk about desires and feelings to ensure everyone is on the same folio from the beginning.

Is having sex activity on your flow bad for you?

No. Having sex while one or more partners are on their menstruum is not harmful. In fact, there are a few ways in which it might exist helpful! First, the contractions of orgasm might help relieve menstrual cramping. Second, sex might feel specially great because the vagina can become super lubricated from menstrual secretions. If you or your partner worry nigh a mess from the blood, consider spreading out a towel or having sex in the shower to minimize post-coital cleaning.

Can yous get pregnant if you have sex while on your period?

The simple answer is yes.

Nosotros get a lot of questions about specific situations on this.

If a person whose torso ejaculates sperm has sex with a person whose torso houses ovaries, then yes, it's possible to get pregnant at any time during a menstrual cycle. To put that in writing once more – if you have unprotected vaginal/penile intercourse during a menstrual period, it IS possible to get significant. Pregnancy can happen if you take sex activity before, during or after your menstruation.

You are nigh likely to get meaning if you lot have penile/vaginal sex around the time of ovulation. Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary. Ovulation ordinarily occurs about 14 days after the offset of someone's last menstruum.

Why practise some people think that having sex on their period means they can't go pregnant?

If someone has a perfectly regular, 28 24-hour interval menstrual cycle where they ovulate every calendar month on twenty-four hours 14 and their monthly bleed begins at twenty-four hours 23 and lasts for 5 days – having penile/vaginal sexual practice during day 23-28, when they are menstruating, has a very small chance of growing a human. However…

  • Near PEOPLE Exercise Non HAVE PERFECTLY REGULAR 28 DAY CYCLES. Many people who menstruate have unpredictable periods, or at least slight variations each month, significant it tin can be difficult to know when they ovulate. In fact, folks who utilise the rhythm method / Fertility Awareness where they rail their cycles and only take penile/vaginal sex during days they believe are non a risk for pregnancy have a 25% chance of creating a human. That's a ane in 4 take a chance. In that location are much more reliable ways to avert pregnancy.
  • Some people may feel spotting at the time of ovulation, which could exist confused with a period. So if that person thinks that when they bleed is a rubber time to non get pregnant but happens to be someone who spots during their ovulation that particular calendar month (or regularly), they have a very high hazard of getting significant from penile/vaginal intercourse.
  • Sperm can live in a vagina for up to 5 days. Yup, five days. If an egg comes effectually at any betoken during that time, pregnancy could happen.
  • Some people take sexual activity more than regularly than every five days. Each instance of penile/vaginal intercourse extends the timeframe for live sperm to exist in the vagina.
  • Many people who accept sperm release a small amount of semen prior to ejaculation. While this helps with lubrication and comfort, it makes "pulling out" a less constructive method of contraception since sperm can be nowadays prior to ejacuation. Fifty-fifty foreplay with someone with ovaries has a take chances of conception due to this pre-ejaculate fluid.

So how do I brand it less likely to have a baby?

  • Don't take penile-vaginal sexual practice.
  • Simply if you're going to have penile-vaginal sex…
    • Utilize barrier contraception such as an external or internal condom, diaphragm or sponge, possibly with spermicide.
    • Use a prescription method of contraception such as the pill, patch, ring, implant or IUD.
    • Control your and your partner's beliefs:
      • Carefully track menstrual cycles to amend sympathise normal cycles and predict ovulation.
      • Withdraw the penis from the vagina before ejacuation.
      • These methods accept a lot of self-control and 100% consistency on the part of both partners. You can't control your partner's behavior, so this tin can be a good fill-in method, but we don't recommend using one or both of these behaviors as the master fashion to avoid pregnancy.
    • Whatsoever combination of the above.

I already had sex on my period. At present I'm worried I might be pregnant.

If you lot already had penile-vaginal sex without contraception and you don't want to get meaning, consider Emergency Contraception (such as ella, Plan B One Step or a Copper IUD). Many of these are available at nigh pharmacies over the counter and are pretty darn effective for up to five days later on unprotected sex.There are more than reliable methods of contraception than Emergency Contraception. Nosotros encourage you to speak with your pharmacist or medical provider nearly contraception options that might work for you.

Are other people having sex on their period?

Based on the number of folks who are reading this weblog commodity – yup. But really, information technology doesn't matter if other folks are doing it or not. Having sex during menstruation is a personal conclusion, and so we once again emphasize that y'all should talk with your partner to meet how they experience. If null else it can exist another opportunity to go to know your partner and their likes, dislikes and comfort level.

This article has been edited for clarity and updated formatting since it's original publishing date.

Nearly recent edit: November 5, 2019