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For one week every month, I feel like an unspayed puppy. If it were socially acceptable, I'd get it on twice a day and hump couch cushions in between. So, yes, I have sex during my period. This is mostly because my desire to be satisfied sexually outweighs my desire to not change my sheets. According to Dr. Deborah Ottenheimer, a gynecologist in New York, I'm not a crazed sex fiend, and the strong desire for sex during menstruation is normal for some women:
At the end of the day, you are fertile 10-14 days before your period. It's in your interest to be horny from your body's perspective, since one of our jobs evolutionarily is to procreate. It stands to reason that you would be most interested when your body is set up to get pregnant. The high progesterone at that part of your cycle also makes the genitals a little swollen and sensitive. For some women that's a turn on, for others, not so much. Same thing happens in pregnancy, the other time you have high progesterone.
So, when I decide to get pregnant, I'll probably want to have sex all the time. Let me take the opportunity to apologize in advance to the father of my future children.
Orgasms Are Mother Nature's Painkiller
Endorphins released during orgasm help women alleviate the symptoms of PMS. This means if we have sex during our period, we will become less cranky, irritable and depressed. So if your boyfriend complains about your mood during that time of the month, tell him you've found the cure and that cure is his penis. And (get excited here) endorphins also help ease cramps. So instead of taking another Midol, you might benefit more from another orgasm.
What's Worse Than A Little Blood? Accidently Getting Pregnant Or An STD
While you are less likely to get pregnant during your period, it's still possible. If you are not on birth control, you might want to use a condom during period sex. It will also make sex less messy.
But unlike protecting yourself from an unwanted pregnancy, women are more vulnerable to STDs during their periods. According to Dr. Laura Berman, women need to be extra careful about protecting themselves during that time of the month:
Your risks of sexually transmitted diseases and infections are higher than normal during this time because the cervix opens to allow blood to pass through. Unfortunately, this creates the perfect pathway for bacteria to travel deep inside the pelvic cavity. You are also more likely to pass on blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis to a partner during your period and more likely to develop yeast or bacterial infections because the vagina's pH during menstruation is less acidic.
It's a good thing that feminine products and condoms are often in the same aisle of the drug store.
Put A Cup On It!
Let's say you like the idea of period sex, but are still turned off by the whole ick factor of it. A disposable menstrual cup might just turn that "ick" into an "Ahh!" If you weren't familiar with this fabulous feminine product, a menstrual cup is a little cup you insert into you vagina, which collects menstrual blood, instead of absorbing it like a pad or tampon. Because cups keep all the blood in one convenient place (away from his penis), you can have sex while it is inserted. In fact, menstrual cups are designed to do this.
That said, they aren't designed to prevent STDs, so keep that in mind. Also, not all menstrual cups are built for fun time. Some reusable menstrual cups, which are bell shaped, cannot be worn during sex. However, disposable menstrual cups (usually good for one cycle), which look similar to diaphragms, should be safe for getting it on. There are several brands of menstrual cups available (probably more than you anticipated), so read the package carefully to make sure it's the right kind. Personally, I've used the Softcup and really like it.
Another advantage of menstrual cups is that they help keep odor at bay, if that is an issue for you. If that "not so fresh feeling" prevents you from having hot period sex, a menstrual cup should solve that problem. You're welcome.
How To Prevent Sex From Looking Like A Murder Scene
Period sex is probably not the best time to use your 900 thread count Egyptian cotton fancy schmancy sheets. But if you insist, put a towel down, preferably a dark one. Or, for the truly lazy (that would be me) have sex on a top sheet and throw it in the washing machine when you're finished. Or if you don't have a washing machine (that would also be me), pretreat any stains with stain remover, then put the sheet in the hamper and try to forget about it until laundry day.
While it's hard to look forward to your period, you can now at least look forward to period sex. Now for some foreplay, might I suggest a vampire flick?
