The unexpected sex act that can make your period come early

It’s not just penetration that is going to trigger it (Picture: Getty)

We’ve all had our ‘oh my gush’ moments. You know, when you’re instantly struck with the realisation that your period has arrived (thanks, Always).

But did you know that sex could kick start your time of the month a little sooner than planned?

While you might think it’s just penetrative sex that would have this disappointing side effect, you’d be wrong. Oral sex can make Aunt Flo arrive a little earlier than expected, too.

We enlisted the expertise of Dr Shirin Lakhani, who specialises in intimate health, menopause, and hormone health, to explain exactly why this happens…

How can sex induce your period

‘Penetrative sex won’t cause your period, however it can make it start sooner if it was already about to begin,’ Dr Lakhani tells Metro.

The first cause of this is the cervix being stimulated during penetrative sex, because this pressure can encourage the uterus to start contracting.

‘If your body is already hormonally ready to shed the uterine lining, this may cause it to begin bleeding a bit earlier than expected,’ she adds.

Your period could come early if your cervix is stimulated (Picture: Getty Images/fStop)

‘Alongside this, orgasms can cause uterine contractions, and semen contains prostaglandins, which are hormone-like chemicals that can encourage the uterus to contract.’

The same process can take place if you orgasm from oral sex, you don’t necessarily need to have anything up your vaginal canal.

‘Orgasms can cause uterine contractions and increased pelvic blood flow, which can possibly help shed the uterine lining slightly earlier,’ Dr Lakhani explains.

A quick reminder

Your body needs to be hormonally ready for your period to begin, so sex may simply nudge the process along, but there are lots of other factors that can trigger your menses, too.

‘Things like hormonal changes with starting or stopping contraception or progesterone and oestrogen fluctuations can trigger your period,’ Dr Lakhani explains.

‘Stress can also influence our menstrual cycle, causing hormonal imbalances due to our fight or flight response.

‘Illness, diet, sleep and weight changes can also influence our hormones and menstrual cycle.’

Bleeding after sex

If you trigger your period this way, the intimate health expert says it’s completely safe and isn’t a cause for concern.

‘Sex shouldn’t harm your cycle or disrupt your hormones, and may help with cramp relief, mood and blood flow, so can actually be beneficial,’ she explains.

However, not all post-sex bleeding will be a result of your period arriving early.

It’s perfectly natural for sex to induce your period, so don’t worry (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Occasionally, bleeding can come from cervical irritation, polyps, or infection,’ Dr Lakhani explains. ‘If bleeding after sex happens often or outside your cycle, it’s worth getting checked.’

She adds that causes for concern would be if the bleeding is frequent, unpredictable, or unrelated to your cycle. If there’s pain, unusual discharge, or bleeding every time you have sex, or even if your cycle is consistently irregular, you should seek medical attention.

‘If your period shows up after sex or orgasm, your body was already hormonally ready,’ the doctor points out. ‘It’s natural, harmless, and doesn’t mess with your cycle.

‘The important thing is telling the difference between normal menstruation and abnormal bleeding, which may need attention.’

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