Many men and women feel anxious about having sex during periods because we have been culturally conditioned to believe that menstruation is something dirty. There are also many misconceptions about the medical aspects of sex during periods. Medically, it is normal to have sex during periods. The safe sex practices required to avoid pregnancy and STDs when a woman is not menstruating should also be used during periods.

1. Can sex during periods result in pregnancy?

Chances of pregnancy during periods are minimal. However, if you strictly want to avoid pregnancy it is advisable to use an adequate birth-control method each time you have intercourse, including during periods. Though the chances of pregnancy during periods are very low, they are not entirely absent because the sperm can survive in the body for a few days and there is a small chance that an early ovulation will cause pregnancy.

2. Will contact with menstrual blood cause sexually-transmitted diseases (STD)?

Menstrual blood is nothing but normal human blood mixed with tissues lining the uterus. Contact with menstrual blood is not harmful in any way. If your partner has a STD, you have a high chance of contracting it and you should be using a condom during intercourse, both during periods and otherwise.

3. Does sex during periods cause HIV infection?

Sex during periods cannot cause HIV infection unless one of the partners is HIV infected. Unprotected intercourse with an HIV infected partner can cause HIV infection, regardless of periods. The only connection between HIV and sex during periods is that the chances of HIV transmission from an HIV infected person to his/ her partner are higher if they have sex during periods. If you have the slightest concern about HIV infection, the thumb rule is to use a condom regardless of periods.

4. Will contact with menstrual blood harm the penis?

No, menstrual blood will not harm the penis in any way. The worries and concerns about menstrual blood stem from the fact that we have been socially conditioned to see it as a dirty fluid. Scientifically, menstrual fluid is a mix of blood and tissues that line the uterus every month to prepare it for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the tissue is shed because it is no longer required.

5. Can sex during periods injure the uterus?

No, sex during periods cannot injure the uterus. There is a common perception that the mouth of the uterus opens up during periods and the penis can poke into it and hurt the uterus. This is not correct. Menstrual flood oozes out of a very small opening in the mouth of the uterus. The penis can never poke in through this opening.

6. Is sex during periods a perversion?

You would be happy to know that a large number of couples have sex during periods. From the medical standpoint, sex during periods is absolutely normal. So if you too indulge in it, there is absolutely no need to feel guilty or anxious.

7. Will sex during periods stop bleeding?

Some women do notice that their periods stop within a day or so of sexual intercourse. This does not mean that the menstrual blood has been pushed back into the uterus and is unable to flow out. It happens primarily because sexual intercourse causes uterine contractions that expel the menstrual fluids and tissue faster, thus causing the bleeding to stop sooner than usual.

8. Will sex during periods relieve menstrual cramps?

Yes, some women do experience a decrease in menstrual cramps if they have sexual intercourse. This can happen because of multiple factors. On one hand, orgasm causes the release of some chemicals in the body that have pain allaying properties. Some scientists also believe that this happens because excess cramp causing chemicals called prostaglandins get used up.

9. Is it ok to have oral sex during periods?

Yes, from the health perspective it is ok to have oral sex during periods. It is advisable to use a dental dam if you have oral sex with a menstruating female partner.

10. Should I remove my tampon before having sex during periods?

Yes, always remember to remove your tampon before having sex during periods. If you do not do this there is a chance that the tampon will get pushed up in your vagina and if it is left there for a prolonged period, it can cause infection.