Going With the Flow: The Why and Why Not’s of Period Sex

Aunt flow. She can be mean, nice or maybe absolutely fabulous? For some ladies, we cannot even begin to think about sex. And for gents, it's the same way. But let's think for a minute. What are the pro's and con's of doing the deed during that time of the month? Besides the obvious health benefits of orgasm (including relieving pain), what are some of the other reasons you might want to consider more sex during your 'time of the month'? As we've noted before, sex can be very healthy for ladies. GetLusty writer Lynn Olejniczak reports.

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It’s that time again. Once a month, women get their period. Then comes the moratorium put on sex. Cramps, bloating, headache and just feeling like "ick" can make generating any sex appeal impossible. And then there is the mess. Just forgo for the next five to seven days? Not necessarily. There are benefits of menstrual sex, if you can work through the superficial hurdles.

Head games

First, wrap your head around period sex. Is this something that both you and your partner want to do? Are you both prepared for the mess? Can you feel sensual knowing you are bleeding? Can he deal with the possibility of getting your blood on him? Think it through. The worst is it can be pretty messy, the best it can be a super orgasm.

Think: anatomy

Refresher course: Women get their period when an egg releases from the fallopian tube and goes unfertilized. It embeds itself into the uterine lining, which then sheds over a period of 3-5 days: the period. But just because this egg has gone unfertilized doesn’t mean one cannot get pregnant during period sex. Depending on the woman another egg could be working its way down during the menstrual cycle, or in rare cases two eggs can be released. So depending on one’s desire for children protection should be used.

A woman’s cervix is generally lower during menstruation. This can provide easier and more intense arousals then other times of the month. Orgasms during your period can help shorten your cycle because the muscles used during orgasm push out menstrual fluids. It can also lessen the feeling of cramps. So there are pluses to period sex. Still, it can cause discomfort depending on the position used. If a sharp pain is felt in the stomach area, your partner could be hitting your cervix. If it is too much to handle, switch positions.

Mess management

Believe it or not, you have options here. The easiest way to keep things less messy is to have sex in the shower. Aside from pregnancy protection, before, during and after issues are all taken care of. If you aren’t feeling the whole shower thing, make sure you have a 'period sex towel'. Yes, it's a thing. Also, have another one or two towels close by for when you are done. Having her on the bottom or doing it doggy-style will make things a bit less messy easier to manage once you are through.

You can also use items like a contraceptive sponge, diaphragm or a female condom to lessen the fluid interaction and prevent pregnancy. These items may not completely block the possibility of mess depending on the day of your period, but they can help. If you and your partner just want to engage in oral sex or orgasm through clitoral stimulation, a menstrual cup (like the DivaCup) can be used. It probably is not a good idea to have a cup in if you are moving on to penetration. The cup won’t prevent pregnancy and removing it can be a bitch.

Sex during menstruation isn’t a “dirty” thing. It can be messy, but there isn’t anything bad or evil about it. Yes, some religious practices consider it off-limits, but medically there is nothing wrong with doing it during that time of the month. Though movements can be a bit restricted and cleaning up can come with surprises, period sex is just as pleasurable as any other time of the month. If you both have the understanding of what to expect, it can even be more pleasurable than you think. So go on, enjoy yourself!

Lynn Olejniczak is a native Chicagoan who loves her city and everything it has to offer. She spent 10 years as a NASDAQ trader in  Chicago and New York in the 90's, then went back to college when "the rules changed and I realized no one was going to pay me lots of money to swear at them anymore."

She loves good food, and a perfectly poured Guinness at any Irish pub in the city. Her Beastie Boys CDs rest comfortably next to her Misfits vinyl, and she believes Underground Garage is the best radio program known to humankind. Armed with degrees in History, and a love of Urban Planning, Lynn is currently writing and researching a book on the 80's Chicago bar scene. Get in touch with Lynn at editorial@getlusty.com.