Picture this. You have finally got the girl of your dreams. Without batting an eyelid, you drain your Sacco loan account and book two nights at Sir Richard Branson’s 12-tented luxury safari camp in the Kenyan bush.
After checking into Mahali Mzuri, she is happy and you feel like King Mswati III about to devour his youngest virgin. It’s all systems go until the beautiful date blurts out from the expansive steam bath, “Babes, I think I’m rolling.”
Whereas many women would rather receive Aunt Flow every end month than miss her, periods can seriously mess up big plans. That said, many people are still wondering whether period sex is good or bad for business. Even though this kind of intercourse has traditionally been associated with uncleanliness, there is a new adventurous generation who are willing to explore their sexuality during their menses.
Health risk
Obstetrician and gynecologist Dr Njiru Njeru of Talana Specialist Centre disagrees, saying there are high risks of contacting infections when during period sex.
“When engaging in sex during periods, there is a small risk of getting pregnant especially for people with short cycles of 21 days. Ovulation starts at day seven on every cycle but those with short cycle it may start on day five or six,” he said, adding that “the sperm survives up to three days in the body which increases the chance of getting pregnant.”
Njiru advises that there is also a high chance of contacting sexually transmitted infections (STI) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) during periods because the protective mucus plug is not there during that period and bacteria from the vagina can travel up to the uterus and upwards.
“Blood is a medium of growth to diseases such as gonorrhea, when the inside layer is shedding off it can easy allow bacteria to invade,” he said.
“Further, when having sex, some of the layers shedding may be dislodged leading to endometriosis.”
But on the flip side, “having an orgasm during period sex may cause some women to shed faster and reduce the number of period days. Women who experience dryness during sex may also enjoy it during menstruation this is because the mucus and blood makes the area wet and sex is pleasurable to them.”
Be spontaneous
Sexologist Maurice Matheka alludes to this but he is of the opinion that period sex should be spontaneous.
Orgasm reduces cramps by 80 per cent, Matheka says. “Of course it is going to be messy so be ready to clean up”.
He adds that, there is nothing wrong unless one has a blood infection that they are not aware off.
“Period sex should be spontaneous not planned that’s when you have fun. When you over think it, you will not be able to enjoy.”
Also joining this camp is renowned sexual and reproductive health clinician and sexologist, Dr Joachim Osur.
“Most couples who come to me say they have period sex when their partners have been away for a long time and when they come and the wife is in her periods there is no time to wait so they just have it.
“Some cases are when the bride does not know her periods will be on during her big day and it too late to take period postponing tablets so they have period sex on their wedding night,” Dr Osur said.
According to Osur, both parties should be aware that period sex will be wetter than normal and messy.
“If one partner is not comfortable with it, a prior discussion is important,” he says.
“Most people may not want to indulge in period sex because they often think blood is a dirty but blood is natural.
“As long as both parties do not have any infection they can enjoy period sex, when in doubt use a condom.”
But despite his liberal views, Matheka adds that period sex is not everyone’s cup of tea.
“When you look at demographics, couples who are exposed and open minded have period sex from time to time because they know there is nothing wrong with it.
“But couples who are more close minded have issues with it because of their upbringing or religion,” Matheka adds.
Even though the Old Testament in Leviticus explains the biblical stand on menstruation, Pastor Victor Mulwa clarifies that these Biblical laws which isolated menstruating women and condemned men for having intercourse with them calling them unclean, do not apply today and that no one will go to hell.
“It is all about hygiene during menstruation,” Mulwa said, adding that today men demand for sex from their wives during their periods because of monogamy. “Nowadays men do not have alternative as compared to when polygamy was socially accepted.
“Men used to have options when one woman was in her periods, he would go to another house. Because of the urge and women don’t want to lose their husbands they agree to have sex even during her periods and none of them enjoys it because of the guilt.”
Pastor Victor Mulwa explains that the purpose of the Old Testament laws concerning blood was a sacrificial system, but the blood of Jesus paid the penalty for sins once and for all.
Among the Muslims, the man may be intimate with his wife when she is menstruating in all ways apart from intercourse.
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