If you've recently started having sex, it's acceptable and a good thing to be anxious about how it might affect your body. If you're wondering if sex might be messing with your monthly cycle, you're not the only one. Read on to find out how sex and other common things can impact your period.
Does having sex change your menstrual cycle?
So, does having sex change your cycle? In short, no, not really. Sex doesn't modify the normal changes in hormones that happen during the menstrual cycle. This is why your hormones change at certain times of the month and eventually lead to a period. Let's take a closer look at those hormonal changes.
During the initial part of your cycle, your uterine lining gets thicker because there is more oestrogen. On the other hand, the follicle-stimulating hormone makes your ovaries make a fully intact egg. The luteinizing hormone then causes ovulation, which is when an egg is released so that a sperm can fertilise it. During the second half of your cycle, the hormone progesterone rises to help get your uterus ready for pregnancy. If you can't get pregnant, your oestrogen and progesterone levels drop, which makes your body start to lose the uterine lining (your menstruation). There have been a few studies that looked at whether having sex regularly might have an indirect effect on your cycle. However, having sex in general won't change these hormones. The researchers say that regular intercourse, which they define as at least once a week, may help make your cycles more predictable.
Having sex once a week might help make your cycles more regular.
One study argues that this is because stress can make periods and ovulation irregular, and not having sex often can make stress worse. These results need to be confirmed with more research, but the idea that there might be a link is interesting. Are you not sure when your next period will be? Using an app like Flo to keep track of your period can help you learn more about your body.
Can having sex make your periods late?
You could also be wondering if having sex could halt your period. Having sex won't make your period late, but if you get pregnant, it won't come. Does having sex change how bad your period pain is? The good news is that some women who have periods may find that having sex with a woman can help ease their period pain if they are willing to do so. An orgasm can help with period pain. Dopamine, which rushes out of the brain after an orgasm, is a natural pain reliever. Also, endorphins are good because they can help you relax.
Why could having sex make your period start?
Have you ever observed that sex seems to make your period come sooner? This usually happens when your period is about to start. So, having sex, which might upset the uterus a little, can cause bleeding to start a little sooner or last a little longer if your period is just ending or about to start. This happens because the inside of the uterus that is going to shed gets loose and comes out.
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