Quite a lot of women wonder about whether sex after periodsis safe or not. Many people believe that they can have sex immediately after periods and avoid pregnancy in that way. There are people who are not sure about that and want some clear explanation about having sex after periods and conceiving. Keep reading to learn more about it.
Is It Safe to Have Sex After Periods?
Most people ask this question for the chances of getting pregnant or or avoiding it. The answer is that it is theoretically possible to get pregnant, but the real occurrence is relatively not that much. The most important factor is the duration of your period.
Your fertility window in a typical cycle of 28-30 days is between Day 11 and 21 Day. It means that if you bleed for 5-7 days and have sex right after that, you may still get pregnant because sperms can live up to 5 days. If sperm survives until your fertility window, you may end up becoming pregnant.
How to Figure Out Safe Days for Sex
Now that you have the answer to your question, "is it safe to have sex after periods?"you may want to know the way to figure out safe sex days. For this, you first need to consider if you have a regular menstrual cycle or an irregular one.
1. For a Regular Menstrual Cycle
A menstrual cycle can be divided into three phases – pre-ovulatory infertility, the fertility period, and the post-ovulatory infertility which starts a few days before your next period. To calculate safe days for sex, note the last period first date and calculate the longest and shortest menstrual cycles by observing your cycle for the last six months. In a regular menstrual period (25 to 32 days), the 1st day to 7th day, the 21st to the rest of the cycle are considered safe.
2. For an Irregular Menstrual Cycle
If you have an irregular menstrual cycle, you can still pay attention to signs of ovulation to calculate your safe days for sex. You have to pay attention to the consistency of your vaginal fluid and your basal body temperature to get an idea about ovulation. You can buy some OTC ovulation kits for help, but they can be quite expensive. It is better to practice protected sex through physical barrier methods or hormonal birth controlif you are not trying to conceive.
3. Changes to Notice During Ovulation
Is it safe to have sex after periods? It depends on when you start ovulating. This is the time when you notice subtle changes in your body. These signs usually start appearing about three weeks before you have your next period. You will experience discomfort on one side of your belly, have increased vaginal discharge that will be like stretchy egg white, and have increased sex drive. Checking your cervical mucus daily will also tell a lot about when you start ovulating.
More Birth Control Options without Using Hormones
If you are not sure about the answer,"is it safe to have sex right after periods?" do not take any chances. You can always use several birth control options to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Below are some effective ones that don't require using hormones.
1. Male and Female Condoms
While there are many new ways of contraception, the classic condom is still among the best. It not only prevents pregnancy but also protects you from contracting sexually transmitted infections. Condoms today are made out of latex as well as synthetic materials and are used for oral, vagina, and anal sex. There are options available if you are allergic to some material. There are female condoms as well that you need to insert into your vagina – it fits like a pouch and prevents sperm from entering. When used properly, the success rate for female condoms is 95%, whereas the success rate for male condoms is 98%. No mater female condoms or male condoms, there is always a risk that they will break or split.
Click here for female condoms using guidance & male condoms using guidance.
2. Cervical Cap
Also known as Lea contraceptive, this cervix-based option has 92-96% of success rate. It is basically a silicone cap that makes use of spermicide to keep sperm from entering. The failure rate goes up notably when you do not know how to use it correctly.
3. Diaphragm
It works quite like the cervical cap, but you can leave it inside for a relatively longer period because of its smaller size. You may avoid it if you are concerned about STIs or you are sensitive to chemicals. The success rate is 92-96%.
4. Intra-Uterine Devices
Also known as the coil, the intrauterine device is a small plastic device that your nurse will fit into your womb. It creates a barrier and keeps sperm from meeting the egg. Once you have it placed in your uterus, it can stay there for up to 10 years. While it has 99% of success rate for birth control, it does not offer any protection from sexually transmitted diseases. You may also have heavy periods for a few months after having it placed in your womb.
5. Outercourse
You can prevent unwanted pregnancy if you limit yourself to dry humping, heavy petting, grinding, or outercourse. All these methods have 100% success rate and still let you have good fun. You may stick to these methods while you are new in a relationship and still trying to learn more about each other. Just bear in mind that it is never a long-term solution.