How to Make Period Sex Safe and Risk-Free?
Every woman during her reproductive years, you’ll get a menstrual period about once a month. The menstrual cycle, also known as the period, can affect women's daily activities. This is due to the reason that periods come with various physical (bloating, tender breasts, muscle aches, joint pain, fluid retention, headaches, acne, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, etc.) and emotional (sadness, irritability, anxiety, crying spells, and anger) symptoms. The cycle can also affect the sexual life of women. However, there is no need to avoid sex unless you are seriously queasy during your period. Though sex during periods seems a bit messy, it is harmless. Even having sex during the menstrual cycle can offer various advantages include relief from severe period cramps. In this blog, you will get to know all about period sex, its advantages, and risks, along with a few period sex tips. Let’s get started.
Benefits of period sex
Having sex during periods have a few benefits, which are mentioned below:
> Relieve from cramps: One of the key benefits of sex during periods is that it helps to relieve the pain from cramps. Menstrual cramps usually occur when the uterus starts contracting to release its lining. During sex, when orgasm takes place, it allows the uterus muscles to contract and then release. This release provides some relief from period pain or cramps.
> Relieve from menstrual discomfort: Sex triggers the release of certain chemicals known as endorphins, which make a woman feel good during period sex. Besides, engaging in sexual activity occupies the mind and lessens the discomfort of periods.
> Short periods: Do you know, having sex when menstruating makes periods shorter? Yes, this is true. The contraction of muscles during an orgasm process pushes out the uterine contents faster. This ultimately results in shorter periods, thereby early relief from the monthly menstrual cycle.
> Increased sex drive: Due to the hormonal fluctuations, libido changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Few women experience increased sex drive during ovulation, around two weeks before the period starts. While some feel more turned on during their period.
> Lubrication: While having sex during the period, blood acts as a natural lubricant; thus, one need not use any artificial lubricant.
> Relieve from headache: Many women with migraine headaches usually get them during their periods. A large number of women avoid having sex during their menstrual migraine attacks. Few women that have sex, experience partial or full relief from migraine headaches.
(Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5393978/ ) So these are some of the key benefits of sex during periods. With these advantages, there may be certain side-effects as well. Let’s find out the potential side-effects of sex at the time of the menstrual cycle.
Side-effects of period sex
There can be some downsides to having sex at the time of periods. Some of them include:
> Period mess: The major side-effect or disadvantage of sex when menstruating is the mess. Yes, while having sex, the blood can get on both the partners as well as on the sheets, especially at the time of heavy flow days. Apart from this, bleeding may also make a woman feel self-conscious. The anxiety or fear of making a mess all around can take the interest or fun out of sex.
> Risk of STI: Another most noteworthy or worrisome side-effect of having sex during the menstrual cycle is the risk of transmitting an STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). The STI can be hepatitis or HIV. These viruses are usually present in the blood and can spread easily through contact with infected menstrual blood. To reduce the risk of spreading or catching STIs, it is advisable to use condoms whenever having sex during the menstrual cycle.
> Emergency: Sex during the menstrual cycle can also lead to an emergency if proper measures or attention are not made. For instance, if someone forgets to remove the tampon before having sex, the tampon can get pushed deep inside into the vagina during sex, and the person will need to see a doctor immediately to get it removed.
> Pregnancy: If you are not planning to get pregnant, it is better to use protection no matter what stage of the menstrual cycle. Though there are very few chances of getting pregnant during periods, there is still a possibility of pregnancy at this time. It is important to note that sperm can stay alive in a female body for seven days. If someone has a cycle of 22 days and she ovulates soon after getting her period, there are chances that her body will release an egg while sperm is still present in her reproductive tract. Therefore, to avoid unwanted pregnancy, the use of protection is a must.
To make period sex a comfortable and good experience, it is important to keep certain things in mind. For example, be open to your partner about how you feel about having sex during the period and ask what he feels. Also, don’t forget to remove the tampon if you are wearing one before having sex to eliminate the chances of any emergency. Ask your partner to use protection to reduce STI risk, etc.
Conclusion:
Period sex can be stressful if you are not prepared. If you and your partner don’t have any problem, then periods can’t stop you from enjoying your relationship when you want to. Keep in mind a few important period sex tips mentioned in the blog to avoid any mistakes while having sex during periods. With proper communication and preparation, period sex can be more pleasurable and fun. Don't forget to use quality period products to ensure complete hygiene and comfort throughout the menstrual cycle. You can try Wonderize products like sanitary pads, period panty, panty liners, and various other products to experience better hygiene and comfort.
