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Is it okay to have sex during my period?

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Someone asked us:

can I have sex during my period

Yes! You can absolutely have sex during your period. Period sex is 100 percent fine, as long as you and your partner are both comfortable with it. Some women feel especially aroused during their periods, and orgasms can even help relieve menstrual cramps. 

A lot of people think period sex must be really messy, but how messy it is depends on how heavy your period is. Having sex on a day when your period is at its heaviest will be messier than having sex when your period is really light. You might want to have sex on a towel, or something else you don’t mind getting stained. Some people also choose to have sex in the shower to keep the mess to a minimum. 

Some period sex pointers:

• DON’T have vaginal sex with a tampon in. If you want to use a product to contain the bleeding during sex, Softcups, a kind of disposable menstrual cup, are designed to be useable during sex to reduce mess.

• DO make sure both partners are cool with it. Some people don’t want to have period sex, and that’s fine – respect their wishes if they don’t want to.

• DON’T forget that it’s still possible to get pregnant if you have sex during your period, so protection is important. Which brings us to….

• DO use birth control including a condom! Using a condom can both prevent pregnancy and keep you and your partner protected against sexually transmitted infections.

- Nina at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: period sexquestions

How late in a pregnancy can you get an abortion?

Someone asked us:

How late can you get an abortion?

Different states have different laws about how late in a pregnancy a woman can get an abortion. These laws apply to abortion providers within a given state, so it doesn’t matter what state the patient lives in – just the state the abortion is happening in. Across the board, abortions are very infrequently performed anywhere after the 24th week of pregnancy, and at that point are usually only done for health reasons.

It also depends on which type of abortion you’re talking about. There are two kinds of abortion — in-clinic abortion and medication abortion (also sometimes called the abortion pill). The abortion pill can only be used in the first nine weeks of pregnancy. If you’re more than nine weeks pregnant, you can have an in-clinic abortion.

If you’re pregnant and thinking about your options, it’s important to take time to make the decision that’s right for you. But it’s also important to make that decision as soon as possible. Abortion is safe, but like all medical procedures, there are risks. The chances of these risks increases the longer you’re pregnant. You may want to talk with the staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center about your pregnancy options.

-Alex at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: abortionquestions

Do I have to shave before a pelvic exam?

Someone asked us:

Does my gynecologist care if I shave or not before my exam?

Nope — there’s no reason for you to shave before going to your appointment.  Your gynecologist (or health care provider) can do the full exam whether you have pubic hair or not..  

A lot of people feel nervous before a pelvic exam, especially if it’s the first time. If this sounds like you, you can let your provider know beforehand that you’re feeling a little anxious. She can give you a sense of what to expect.

During a pelvic exam, your provider will examine your vulva for signs of irritation, unusual discharge, warts, or other conditions. She’ll also do an internal exam, to feel for anything abnormal, and possibly also do a Pap test. She can do all of this regardless of your pubic hair situation. Rest assured, your provider has seen it all — shaved, waxed, trimmed, and au natural. There’s no medical or hygienic reason to shave before a pelvic exam, and while we’re at it, there’s no medical or hygienic reason to remove your pubic hair ever.  It all comes down to what you’re comfortable with.

If you need to schedule an exam, contact your local Planned Parenthood health center. Learn more about pelvic exams.

- Nina at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: going to the doctorquestionspubic hairpelvic exams

Female Condoms Are Not Just Ew!

Female condoms: whether you love ‘em, hate ‘em, or have never tried ‘em, we can all agree the world is a better place because of ‘em.  Female condoms (also known as internal condoms) work pretty much the same way as regular ol’ condoms, but rather than going over the penis, they go inside of the vagina (or anus) to help prevent pregnancy and the spread of STDs.

So we were bummed to see Jezebel bash the humble female condom. Sure, plenty of folks have plenty of reasons for not using or liking female condoms. But some people really like female condoms — after all, they can stay in place regardless of whether the penis is erect, and the external ring can stimulate the clitoris. And like “regular” condoms, they can reduce the risk of STDs.

Female condoms aren’t for everyone — but that doesn’t mean they’re for no one. And they’re still plenty important and useful for lots and lots of people, including sex workers and individuals whose partners refuse to wear regular condoms. When it comes to birth control, we say the more options the better. Learn more about female condoms on our website.

- Alex at Planned Parenthood

Tagged: female condomsafer sexjezebelcondoms

Is it safe for me to use emergency contraception while I’m on my period?

Someone asked us:

Hey, is emergency contraception safe to use when you’re on your period? Thanks!

Hey, is emergency contraception safe to use when you’re on your period? Thanks!

It’s perfectly safe to use emergency contraception (also known as the morning-after pill) while you’re having your period, or at any point during your menstrual cycle.

Emergency contraception works to delay the onset of ovulation. If you’re having your period that means that you’re not ovulating at the moment, but will sometime within the next couple of weeks. If you don’t have a regular cycle it can be hard to figure out when exactly that will happen. And since sperm can live in the body up to six days after sex, it’s a good idea to use emergency contraception like Plan B One Step, Next Choice, or ella anytime you have unprotected sex, a broken condom, or any other birth control failure, to delay ovulation while sperm is still alive in your body.

-Emily at Planned Parenthood 

Tagged: questionsbirth controlemergency contraceptionthe morning-after pillperiodmenstruation

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