How many days after the menstrual period can one have sexual intercourse?

Jul 16, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhang Lu
Introduction
In general, sexual intercourse is not recommended during menstruation. One should wait until the menstrual period has completely ended before engaging in sexual activity. The specific timing should be determined based on the completion of menstruation, usually after 1-2 days. To reduce the risk of gynecological diseases, sexual intercourse should be avoided during menstruation, and maintaining external genital hygiene and frequently changing sanitary products are also important. When resuming sexual activity after menstruation, both partners should pay attention to personal hygiene.

Generally, sexual intercourse is not recommended during menstruation. It is advisable to wait until the menstrual period has completely ended before resuming sexual activity. The specific timing should be determined based on the completion of menstruation, usually after 1-2 days. Detailed explanation is as follows:

If the menstrual period has just ended, there may still be a small amount of menstrual blood remaining in the vagina. At this time, the cervix has not fully closed, and sexual intercourse may introduce bacteria into the vagina, increasing the risk of infection. Additionally, if women experience physical discomfort during or shortly after menstruation, such as abdominal pain, back pain, or fatigue, it is recommended to temporarily avoid sexual intercourse to prevent exacerbating physical strain.

It is recommended to wait an additional 1-2 days to ensure that menstrual blood has been completely expelled before engaging in sexual activity. When menstruation has fully ended, with no menstrual blood discharge from the vagina and vaginal secretions returning to normal, sexual intercourse is relatively safe. At this time, the cervix has closed, and the vaginal environment gradually returns to a balanced state, significantly reducing the likelihood of infection.

To reduce the risk of gynecological diseases, sexual intercourse should be avoided during menstruation. It is also important to maintain external genital hygiene and frequently change sanitary products. After the menstrual period, when resuming sexual activity, both partners should maintain genital hygiene by washing the external genital area before and after intercourse to promote reproductive health.

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