Sex on your period: risks, hygiene and pleasure

Grenade coupée en deux sur des draps en lin blanc, à côté d'une tasse de tisane et d'une serviette violette

Pregnancy, infections, cramps, tampons, towels: what health sources say before you go ahead.

By Amélie Favre · 28 October 2026 · 12 min read

You are in the mood, your period has started, and the question comes up: is it a good idea? For some people, the answer is obvious. For others, there is embarrassment, doubts about health or the fear of staining the sheets.

This guide sums up what we know: the risks, what is just a myth, and how to prepare so that the moment stays enjoyable for both of you.

Key takeaways

There is no medical reason to avoid sex during your period. It is a personal choice, to be made together.
Pregnancy is still possible: periods are not contraception.
Periods do not protect against sexually transmitted infections: condoms are still recommended.
Take your tampon out before sex. A bath towel underneath you and a shower afterwards are often enough.
Pain during or after sex is worth a medical opinion, especially if it comes back with every cycle.

🔎 Contents

Is it dangerous to have sex on your period?
Can you get pregnant on your period?
Infections: why keep using condoms
Desire and cramps: what we know
Getting organised
Talking about it together
When to see a doctor
FAQ

Is it dangerous to have sex on your period?

No. The Center for Young Women's Health at Boston Children's Hospital points out that there is no medical reason not to have sex during your period. It is a matter of personal preference (see the Center for Young Women's Health answer on sex during your period).

What changes during your period is mostly the practical side, plus two health points to keep in mind: contraception and protection against infections.

A myth sometimes goes around that sex during your period encourages endometriosis. A literature review published in 2025 in Women's Health on sex during menstruation and endometriosis concludes that current data do not support this claim.

Question	Short answer
Health danger?	No
Pregnancy possible?	Yes, lower risk
Infections possible?	Yes, condom advised
Tampon during sex?	No, take it out first

Can you get pregnant on your period?

Yes. The risk is lower than in the middle of your cycle, but it is not zero, as the Cleveland Clinic article on pregnancy during your period explains.

There are three reasons for this:

Sperm survive for several days. They can live for up to five days in the reproductive tract, the Cleveland Clinic notes. With a short cycle, ovulation can happen soon after your period ends, while sperm are still present.
Ovulation is hard to predict. A study published in 2000 in the British Medical Journal on the fertile window showed that the fertile window varies a lot from one cycle to the next, even in people whose cycles are usually regular.
Not all bleeding is a period. Light bleeding between periods can be mistaken for a period.

If you do not want to get pregnant, keep using your usual contraception during your period. If you forget it or have unprotected sex, the morning-after pill is available in Switzerland from pharmacies, many sexual health centres or your doctor. The sooner you take it, the more effective it is (Sexual Health Switzerland's information on emergency contraception, in French).

💡 Solena tip

Cycle-tracking apps help you get to know your body, but they cannot guarantee that a day is "safe". To avoid pregnancy, you still need contraception throughout your cycle.

Infections: why keep using condoms

Blood can carry viruses, which leads to a common question: does having sex on your period increase the risk of infection? According to LOVE LIFE, the Swiss national prevention campaign, the risk of infection from simple direct contact with menstrual blood is very low (the LOVE LIFE page on STI risk factors, in French). The risk does, however, depend on the infection and the type of contact: the same page points out that hepatitis B and C can be passed on when mucous membranes come into contact with blood.

The MSD Manual on HIV infection (in French), updated in 2026, states that during oral sex, contact between the mouth and menstrual blood can increase the risk of HIV transmission.

A European study published in 1992 in the British Medical Journal had observed a higher risk of female-to-male HIV transmission during sex in menstruation. It was carried out before today's treatments and its estimate was imprecise: it does not reflect the situation today, where a person living with HIV on effective treatment, with an undetectable viral load, does not pass on HIV, as LOVE LIFE and the MSD Manual point out.

This also answers the question of "risks for men": menstrual blood only passes on an infection if it contains one, and the risk varies with the infection and the type of contact. Periods do not protect against infections either: if one of the partners has an STI, it can also be passed on during a period.

So condoms are still recommended. They protect against HIV and also limit the risk of several other STIs, with less reliable protection for those, without fully protecting against all infections (LOVE LIFE's advice on condoms, in French). If you add a lubricant, choose a water-based or silicone-based one: oils and fats weaken latex.

In an exclusive relationship, stopping condoms is a decision to make after testing done at the right time. The Swiss AIDS Federation recommends an HIV test after at least six weeks of an exclusive relationship for a laboratory test, or twelve weeks for a self-test, and testing for the other major STIs at the same time (the Swiss AIDS Federation's recommendations for exclusive relationships, in French). A test only covers the infections it looks for, on the date it is done: after unprotected sex outside the relationship, you need to talk about it again and get tested again. In this setting, your period does not change the decision you made together: the question becomes mostly a practical one.

Desire and cramps: what we know

Desire varies over the cycle. A US study published in 2013 in Hormones and Behavior observed that desire tends to peak in the middle of the cycle and follows hormonal changes, in particular those of oestradiol. But everyone is different: during their period, some people feel more like it, others less, and both are normal.

What about cramps? You often read that orgasm relieves period pain. Some people say so, and a mechanism is plausible: a small laboratory study published in 1985 in the journal Pain showed that vaginal stimulation raises the pain threshold. However, this study was not about periods, and no study has yet reliably assessed this effect on cramps.

If you are in pain, you do not have to do anything. And if you are in the mood despite the cramps, nothing stops you either.

💬 During your period, as for the rest of the month, the only good reason to have sex is that you both want to.

Getting organised

A little preparation is usually enough to enjoy the moment without worrying about the sheets.

Before:

Take your tampon out. It gets in the way of penetration and can easily be forgotten afterwards. A tampon should not stay in longer than its leaflet says: the MSD Manual on toxic shock syndrome (in French) advises changing it every 4 to 8 hours to limit the risk of toxic shock syndrome, a rare but serious infection.
Menstrual cup or disc? Take a cup out before vaginal sex. Some manufacturers state that their menstrual disc can stay in during sex: follow the instructions for yours.
Protect the bed. A dark bath towel folded in half underneath you is often enough. Keep tissues or a damp towel within reach.

During:

Lighter days, often towards the end of your period, are easier to manage.
Your flow can make sex more slippery, but not always enough. A water-based lubricant can help.
The shower is an option: it makes cleaning up easier.
Pleasure does not have to involve penetration. Caresses, massage or external stimulation are other ways to share the moment.

After:

A shower or an external rinse with clean water is enough.
Put a period product back in.
If you used a sex toy, wash it according to its instructions. If you share it, cover it with a new condom for each person.

💡 Solena tip

Blood comes out more easily in cold water. If the sheet is stained, rinse it in cold water before washing it as usual.

Talking about it together

Embarrassment often comes from the idea that the other person might be put off. The simplest thing is to talk about it, ideally beforehand, without pressure: "I'm on my period, do you mind?" or "I'd like to, but I'd rather we put a towel down."

Each of you has the right to say yes, no or "not today". Consent matters during your period just as it does at any other time, and a no does not need to be justified. If one of you is not comfortable, other forms of intimacy are still possible: a massage, a bath, or a tender moment together.

To make these conversations easier, you can also read our article on how to talk about your fantasies with your partner. And if you would like to know more about pleasure, our guide what is an orgasm? explains the basics.

When to see a doctor

Sex during your period does not call for any particular follow-up. Some signs are still worth a medical opinion.

Pain during or after sex. Pain that keeps coming back, especially if your periods are also very painful, can have several causes. Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) list pain during or after sex among the symptoms of endometriosis (the HUG page on the symptoms of endometriosis, in French).

Unusual bleeding. According to the NHS guidance on bleeding between periods or after sex, see a doctor or a sexual health centre if you bleed between periods or after sex outside your period. If your period is late and you have unusual bleeding with tummy pain, seek urgent medical help.

Forgotten tampon or sudden symptoms. Sudden fever, feeling faint, a rash or vomiting while you are wearing or have worn a tampon: take it out and get medical help straight away, advises the NHS page on toxic shock syndrome.

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from a health professional. If you have pain, unusual bleeding or doubts about an infection, talk to your doctor, your gynaecologist or a sexologist.

If you are looking for a lubricant that is compatible with condoms and sex toys, our EasyGlide water-based lubricant is fragrance-free and rinses off with water.

FAQ

Can you get pregnant if you have sex on your period?

Yes, even though the risk is lower than in the middle of your cycle. Sperm can survive for up to five days and ovulation can happen early, especially with a short cycle. Periods are not contraception.

Is it dangerous to have sex on your period?

No, there is no medical reason against it. Remember to take your tampon out, keep using your contraception and use a condom, unless you have both decided to stop using them in an exclusive relationship, after testing done at the right time.

Is period sex risky for men?

Menstrual blood only passes on an infection if the partner having her period has one. According to LOVE LIFE, the risk from simple contact with menstrual blood is very low, but it depends on the infection and the type of contact: for example, contact between the mouth and menstrual blood can increase the risk of HIV transmission, according to the MSD Manual. Periods do not protect against sexually transmitted infections. Condoms reduce these risks for both partners.

What are the risks of unprotected sex on your period?

Without a condom or contraception, there is a risk of pregnancy, even if small, and a risk of a sexually transmitted infection. If in doubt, the morning-after pill is available from pharmacies, and you can get tested at a sexual health centre.

Are there any benefits to having sex on your period?

Some people feel more desire at that time, and others say orgasm helps them relax. However, no study has reliably assessed whether sex relieves cramps. The main benefit is not having to give up a moment of intimacy if you both want it.