Dr. Teddy Agida, an obstetrician and gynaecologist with the
University Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada, Abuja, said sexual intercourse during
menstruation can ease cramps.
Agida said this on
Thursday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
He said it was
absolutely safe to have sexual intercourse when a woman is menstruating, adding
that some women observed it could reduce cramps.
He said: “Sex while
you are menstruating can help ease the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome.
“Many women say that
orgasm can ease their cramps and the orgasmic contractions of the uterus offer
a soothing internal massage.
“Many women also
prefer having sex more when they are menstruating because of increased feelings
of fullness in the pelvic and genital areas.”
The expert, however,
noted that the chances of sexually transmitted diseases and infections were
high during this period, warning that the cervix is open to allow blood to pass
through.
Agida further said
that passage of blood created the pathway for bacteria to travel deep into the
pelvic cavity.
He said: “If any of
the couple is infected with blood borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis, it can
be transmitted during menstruation and more likely to develop yeast or
bacterial infections.
“Yeast can grow
because the vagina’s pH during menstruation is less acidic.”
The gynaecologist also
observed that pregnancy could be achieved during menstruation depending on the
cycle of the woman.
He said: “Normally,
every woman follows a 28 to 32-day cycle.
“In less common
scenarios, a woman with a shorter menstrual cycle may be 24 days could have
seven days of bleeding.
“She could have
intercourse on her final day of bleeding and ovulate three days later and as
sperms live for three to five days, she could definitely get pregnant.”
Agida also said some
women experienced breakthrough spotting or bleeding between periods.
He said it occurred
during ovulation and could be mistaken for a period, making it difficult to
establish the exact place in the menstrual cycle.
Agida suggested that
the option of contraception should not be forgone if the woman was not
expecting to have a baby.
According to him,
perceiving intercourse as unsafe during menstruation was a myth that originated
largely from religious texts.
He said: “Many people
wrongly believed that women were dirty or unclean while menstruating.
“And for this reason,
contact with menstruating women was limited or forbidden entirely.
“In fact, some
religions still adhere to these practices.
“However, medically and
secularly speaking, there is no reason not to have sex on your period.”
Agida, however,
advised that irrespective of individual religious beliefs, it was necessary
couples had the understanding and ensure that intercourse was for the benefit
of both.
He also suggested that
couples could explore kissing and oral means of satisfying each other during
menstruation or rather abstain.
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