Sex during period: Top facts

If you thought that sex during menstruation is off-limits, think again. Many of us are hesitant to try it, because we’re culturally conditioned to think it’s unclean.

But from a purely medical standpoint, however, sex during menstruation is completely normal. It even has a lot of benefits for both partners.

1. It isn’t harmful
   There’s a pervasive myth out there that

   and full of impurities that might harm the penis. This is nonsense! Menstrual blood is a mixture of healthy blood and the discarded tissues that line the uterus each month in preparation for pregnancy. Coming in contact with this blood will not harm the penis in any way. In fact, menstruation blood serves as a great (and harmless) lubricant.

2. It may increase a woman’s sex drive
   Many women feel a higher sex drive during their

   . There are several possible explanations for this – a rise in testosterone levels,

   increased blood flow around the genital region, a lower risk of pregnancy which might make women feel more sexually liberal, or just the arousal associated with doing something unconventional.

3. You can still get pregnant
   The chances of becoming pregnant during menstruation are extremely small,

   . Though generally it is a very safe time to have unprotected sex if you’re trying to avoid

   , a man’s sperm has the ability to survive inside the woman’s body for a few days and there is a small chance that an early ovulation could cause pregnancy. If you want to avoid getting pregnant, it is best to use contraceptives.

4. It can relieve cramps

   
   Having an

   during the period may give you pain relief from cramps by releasing pain-reducing endorphins into the bloodstream. Also, according to some scientists, sex during this time provides further relief by using up chemicals, which are responsible for menstrual cramps.

5. It’s more often women, not men, opposed to the idea
   According to a recent survey conducted on

   , it's women, rather than men, who choose to shut down sexual activities during menstruation. More than 75 per cent of the men who were surveyed said they had no issues about having sex during their partner’s period, though 54 per cent said they would only do it with a wife or serious girlfriend.