Sexual Intercourse During Menstruation
         Having Sex During A Woman's Period

Is It Okay To Do? Yes, and it is really a matter of personal preference as to whether you chose to do it. During a normal sexual experience a woman's natural lubrication often gets on her and her partner and the fact that it is mixed with blood during her period is more about personal preference and potential for staining clothing or sheets than whether it is right or wrong. Women are often discouraged in our society to do anything to get dirty and menstrual blood is often seen as unclean, which it is not. Again it really comes down to It personal preference.

Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., C.E.O. HolisticWisdom.com Founder

Is It Beneficial?

For many women sex during their period is beneficial. Women have found experiencing orgasm(s) during their menstrual period relieves menstrual cramps. This is because the uterine contractions of orgasm helps to expel the menstrual fluid and relieves some of the muscular tension in the muscles of the uterus, caused by the hormone prostaglandin.

Many women rely on masturbation to produce their orgasm(s), feeling they are or should be unattractive to their partner at this time. Others just are not in the mood for partner sex, in an active role, but know the benefits of orgasm.

Some women experience a marked increase in their libido during their menstrual period and as a result crave partner sex. While some postpone sex until after their period others aggressively seek out a partner.

An increased sex drive during this time is the result of hormonal changes and perhaps because a woman knows she is not pregnant, and is much less likely to become pregnant during her period.

Some men and women are attracted to menstrual blood and desire their partner the most when they are menstruating. Usually there is an aversion to oral sex, cunnilingus during this time, however, some people do not have an aversion to this. If you desire performing cunnilingus during a woman's period, it is perfectly okay. Again, it is truly a personal preference. Remember That All STD Rules Still Apply.

Can You Get Pregnant?

Yes, while a woman is least likely to get pregnant during her period, she can. During menstruation a woman's body is flushing out both the unfertilized egg and the lining her body prepared for the possibility of a fertilized egg, so it is quite difficult to get pregnant during this time. Yet it is not impossible.

Sperm can reside inside of a woman's body for several days after sex, and a very slim chance exists that these several days will extend into the beginning of a woman's fertile period. The greater risk involved with having unprotected sex during a woman's period is that she has mistaken spotting or other midcycle bleeding for her period. If this is the case, then a woman may be having unprotected sex at a time when she is very much fertile.

It is also essential to remember that menstruation does not protect either partner from contracting HIV or a STD! Both menstrual blood and vaginal secretions can transmit STDs and HIV, exposing the partner of any HIV+ woman to greater risk.

Also, many women with Herpes experience flare-ups during menstruation, making themselves more vulnerable to HIV or other STD infection through open sores and their partner more vulnerable to Herpes. There is also some debate over whether sex during menstruation exposes a woman to higher risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.

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