Why women crave for sex during periods?

Again, blame it on her hormones.

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: November 2, 2018 9:27 pm

If you thought sex during periods is taboo, then probably you don t know that a woman s sexual desires during her periods reach its peak. No, we are not making up things over here. The very hormonal changes that are responsible for her periods are also responsible to make her crave for sex. There are numerous studies also that support this fact. Know how much blood loss during periods is normal. Also Read - Yoga for periods: 5 asanas for healthy menstrual cycle

Also Read - Irregular periods: 5 yoga poses to regulate your cycle

But not many women talk about their desire often during periods. And we believe there could be reasons for that heavy periods, overflow, cramps, periods induced migraines and a host of other things that could push sex down the list. But women do like to indulge in sexual intimacy during periods and that is true for a fact. Also Read - 5 diet changes to control weight gain from PCOS

Studies documented show that women do tend to have a greater desire for sexual intimacy during their follicular phase of menstruation (when the ovaries prepare to release an egg and the uterus starts growing new endometrial lining) than the luteal phase (the period of ovulation, when an egg is released from the ovaries) all of this is triggered by the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.

In fact, some studies also suggest that during the follicular phase women are more likely to initiate a sexual encounter than their partners indicating an increase in sexual motivation in women. Here too the hormones do the trick. Estrogen and progesterone hormones are low during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and remain that way during your periods or menses too. Progesterone, in fact, is considered to be a negative predictor of a woman s sexual desires. High levels of progesterone can act as a mood dampener. So, when the levels are low it gives a high to the woman to crave for sex. This also explains why some studies documented that women are keener on having a cosy and intimate time during the follicular phase. Here few Indian men talk to us about their experience of sex during periods.

So, if you had any doubt about sex during pregnancy, this should clear it. Yes, women do want it during periods and it is again their hormones making them go crazy. But remember not to fall for certain myths about sex during periods. If you are indulging in sex during periods always make sure that your partner wears a condom. You can still get pregnant while having unprotected sex during periods or get an STD.

Reference:

Roney, J. R., & Simmons, Z. L. (2013). Hormonal predictors of sexual motivation in natural menstrual cycles. Hormones and behavior, 63(4), 636-645.

1: Slob AK, Bax CM, Hop WC, Rowland DL, van der Werff ten Bosch JJ. Sexual arousability and the menstrual cycle. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1996 Aug;21(6):545-58. PubMed PMID: 8983090.

1: Bullivant SB, Sellergren SA, Stern K, Spencer NA, Jacob S, Mennella JA,McClintock MK. Women’s sexual experience during the menstrual cycle:identification of the sexual phase by noninvasive measurement of luteinizinghormone. J Sex Res. 2004 Feb;41(1):82-93. PubMed PMID: 15216427.

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Published : January 23, 2018 1:33 pm | Updated:November 2, 2018 9:27 pm

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