Is It Safe to Have Sex During My Period

Being on your period can limit your life in a few ways. You might avoid white pants or swimsuits for a few days. You may try to keep your heating pad or bottle of ibuprofen handy. But it doesn’t necessarily need to limit what you do in the bedroom.

If you’ve heard that sex isn’t safe during your period, you’ve been told a myth. And we want to clear that up today. 

Our all-female team cares about helping our patients have safe, fulfilling sex lives. That includes during menstruation. Sex during your period is totally safe if you feel comfortable with it. Just make sure you’re using birth control unless you’re trying to get pregnant. 

If you need help finding the right birth control, come see us at Elite Gynecology in Manhattan, Forest Hills, or Rego Park, New York.

The real scoop on sex during your period

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to having sex during your period:

• It can be messy; you might want to put a towel down
• If you have a tampon in, you need to take it out beforehand
• If you have HIV, you could spread it via your blood

You should have a little more info on that last point. First, HIV can spread through your vaginal fluids, so that risk isn’t unique to your period. Secondly, protection like condoms works just as well during your period. 

Now that we’ve gotten potential drawbacks out of the way, there are some benefits of having sex during your period. For example, the extra lubrication can make it more enjoyable, and some women report that it helps with cramps. 

One quick caveat: You can still get pregnant

When you’re on your period, you’re theoretically as far as possible from the part of your cycle during which you can get pregnant. As a result, the risk is very low. That said, it’s not 0%. 

Sperm can survive for a while after sex. On top of that, some women’s menstrual cycles fluctuate, and you might ovulate sooner after your period than you expect. That means that while slim, there is a chance you could get pregnant after having sex during your period. 

Unless you want to get pregnant, it’s important to make sure you’ve got birth control in place every day of the month. For some women, birth control pills work best. Other women prefer the hands-off approach of an intrauterine device (IUD). 

We can help you find an option that suits your sex life, your hormonal needs, and your overall lifestyle. To enjoy sex on your period without fear of getting pregnant, call Elite Gynecology or book an appointment online today.