In our fortnightly column “Great Sexpectations” the Woman Alive panel answer your questions on sex, faith and intimacy. Drop us a confidential email on womanalive@premier.org.uk and ask us anything. Here, we tackle; if it's unbiblical to have sex while on your period.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for asking this question. I wanted to make sure I was fully informed before answering your questions, so I’ve done some research and these are my findings:
Leviticus 15:19 says: "When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening."
This verse may be the reason why you feel having sex while on your period is unbiblical. It is confirmed again in Leviticus 15: 24, Leviticus 20:18, Ezekiel 18:6 and Ezekiel 22:10.
Leviticus goes a step further though, and says that touching anything a woman on her period lies on or touches is also unclean. If a man touches her bed he must wash his clothes and bathe and will be unclean until evening.
"It is important to remember the purpose of the Old Testament laws concerning blood."
We obviously don’t follow these rules today, so it is confusing. John Piper said: "It is important to remember the purpose of the Old Testament laws concerning blood. In the sacrificial system, blood was sacred (Leviticus 17:11). A woman’s 'uncleanness' during her period was symbolic of the value placed on blood. As a result, contact with a woman who was having her period was forbidden.
"Christians today are not under the Old Testament ceremonial law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24-26; Ephesians 2:15). There no longer is a sacrificial system. Jesus’ blood sacrifice paid the penalty for sins once and for all. The Levitical ceremonial laws do not apply today." He goes on to say there is no biblical reason why a married couple cannot have sex during a wife’s period.
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From a modern medical point of view, there are no problems with sexual intercourse during menstruation. It may even have benefits. For example, sex during your period brings extra lubrication (just don’t think too hard about what the extra lubrication is). Having sex while on your period may relieve cramps as vaginal stimulation affects the neurons in the brain to elevate a woman’s pain threshold, according to research from The Atlantic.
Having sex while on your period may relieve cramps.
Two warnings – you can still get pregnant if having sex when on your period, and if you are happy to go ahead, I would recommend lying on a dark coloured towel to clean up any mess. So, in conclusion, you can have sex while on your period, it is not unbiblical, but I don’t know about you, I would prefer to wait until it’s over!
Our Great Sexpectations column is written by a number of different contributors who make up the Woman Alive panel.
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