http://kinseyconfidential.org Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:20:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 2006-2007 aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) posts 1440 Just another WordPress weblog Kinsey Confidential Kinsey Confidential aschweig@indiana.edu No no http://kinseyconfidential.org/wp-content/themes/kinsey/images/kinsey-podcast-300.jpg http://kinseyconfidential.org 144 144 http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-tearing-intercourse-fingering/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-tearing-intercourse-fingering/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:18 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=1191 http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-tearing-intercourse-fingering/feed/ 0 3:13 Many young women and men have questions about having sex for the first time and losing onersquo;s virginity. In regard to your question, it is ... Many young women and men have questions about having sex for the first time and losing onersquo;s virginity. In regard to your question, it is indeed possible to experience vaginal bleeding from either fingering or penile penetration. Vaginal Tearing The vagina is made up of sensitive tissue. It can be easily torn from fingering as may occur during sex play. It can also be torn by little snags of a personrsquo;s fingernails. Penetration ndash; whether from a finger or a manrsquo;s penis ndash; can also cause the hymen to tear, either just a little or a lot. The hymen is a thin layer of tissue that partially covers a womanrsquo;s vaginal entrance. Although the size of the tissue is small, it is filled with blood vessels. As such, even if just a little bit of the hymen tears, a woman or her partner may notice blood on onersquo;s fingers, penis or on the sheets. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know whether the bleeding occurred from fingering or penetration. Slow Down However, the fact that you feel as though he may be taking advantage of your lack of experience is something to pay attention to. If you feel as though you donrsquo;t have as much power or control over the sexual aspects of your relationship, you may find that it is important to talk to your boyfriend about what you do or do not want to happen sexually and what you are or are not feeling ready for. It may be that you are more comfortable exploring at a slower pace or that you would like to learn more about sex before you continue to engage in such intimate sex play together. Also, keep in mind that vaginal penetration with a manrsquo;s penis ndash; even if itrsquo;s just a little bit ndash; can put a woman at risk for pregnancy or sexually transmissible infections, also called STIs. If you do not wish to become pregnant at this time, you may want to not engage in vaginal penetration or you may want to learn more about birth control options. Learning More You can learn more about sex by reading S.E.X.: The All You Need to Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and College or The Guide to Getting It On. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:00:40 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=424 http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-after-sex-rpregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 3:37 Many women experience vaginal bleeding during the first few times that they had sex. When the hymen tears, it does not necessarily tear all at ... Many women experience vaginal bleeding during the first few times that they had sex. When the hymen tears, it does not necessarily tear all at once. It may continue to tear gradually over time, and sexual experience, so it is indeed common to experience slight bleeding on the second or even third occurrence of sex. That said, if you continue to noticed bleeding or if you have any other vaginal symptoms such as irritation, itching, or burning, you should check in with a healthcare provider to rule out other health issues, including sexually transmissible infections, or STIs. All women who are sexually active, even if just once or twice, should have a gynecological exam anyway as a means of caring for their reproductive health. So if you haven't already done so, now may be a good time to make an appointment for a gynecological exam. This is particularly true now that you had unprotected sex with a partner. It is not true that you cannot get pregnant from sex if you bleed. In fact, a woman can absolutely become pregnant from unprotected sex, even if it is her first or second time having sex, and even if she bleeds. The blood, for example, does not "wash out" the semen. If this just recently happened, you might contact your healthcare provider immediately for information about emergency contraception (also called the "morning after pill") which can help to reduce the risk of pregnancy if taken within 5 days of unprotected sex. It is most effective when taken very soon, such as within 3 days, of unprotected intercourse. As you know, many women and men find that alcohol can lower a person's inhibitions and affect their judgment, which can contribute to them doing things that they might not normally do. If you did not want to have sex with this person, or if you did not want to have unprotected sex, but did so because you were drunk, then perhaps this is an opportunity to re-evaluate your choices regarding drinking and sexuality. Some women and men make pacts with their close friends that at least one of them will remain completely sober and will not let the others do things that they say they don't want to do. In the future, perhaps you and your friends can discuss ways of keeping each other safe if you plan to drink. To learn more about women's sexual health, including issues related to safer sex, pregnancy risk and the relationship between alcohol and sex, you might read Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women's Health Book Collective. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/sex-during-period-increased-bleeding/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/sex-during-period-increased-bleeding/#comments Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:17:07 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/07/25/qa-sex-during-your-period-and-increased-bleeding/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/sex-during-period-increased-bleeding/feed/ 0 2:46 No, although it may seem like it. Herersquo;s why: Menstruation occurs when a woman's body breaks down and releases parts of the endometrial lining ndash; which ... No, although it may seem like it. Herersquo;s why: Menstruation occurs when a woman's body breaks down and releases parts of the endometrial lining ndash; which is the lining of a womanrsquo;s uterus - that has built up during the previous weeks. This includes both blood and tissue. Since that is what is being released, sexual activity won't "create" any new tissue to be released and it therefore won't make a woman bleed more during those few days of her period. Blood Or Tissue Released All At Once That said, various factors related to sexual activity that a woman experiences by herself or with a partner may cause more blood or tissue to be released all at once, or may give her the perception that her period is heavier than usual (even if it really isn't). For example, sexual activity that is arousing or orgasmic and therefore involves contractions of a woman's uterus may cause more menstrual blood or tissue release at once. Sexual activity that includes penile thrusting close to the cervix (which is the opening to the uterus) might cause more menstrual blood or tissue to release at that time as well. Some women can feel this pressure on their cervix and may find it pleasurable, whereas others feel that it is painful. Other Fluids Involved In Sex In addition, the fluids that are involved in sex can be tinged with blood as it flows out of a woman's body. These fluids include vaginal lubrication, store-bought lubricant, the lubricant from a condom, semen if no condom was used, and such. That might make it look as though a woman is having a heavier period, even though she isn't really bleeding any more than usual. Relief of Menstrual Cramping On the plus side, women sometimes find that sexual activity, either during self-masturbation or with a partner, can help to relieve menstrual cramping. The bottom line is that the total amount of blood/tissue over several days isn't changing, but some women might find the timing or appearance of one's bleeding makes it seem as though that's the case. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/non-lubricated-condoms-vaginal-bleeding/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/non-lubricated-condoms-vaginal-bleeding/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:00:43 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2008/04/24/qa-non-lubricated-condoms-and-bleeding/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/non-lubricated-condoms-vaginal-bleeding/feed/ 0 3:44 Although the vagina can withstand quite a lot when it comes to sex, it remains a very sensitive part of womenrsquo;s bodies. The vagina can ... Although the vagina can withstand quite a lot when it comes to sex, it remains a very sensitive part of womenrsquo;s bodies. The vagina can easily tear during sex, especially when the sex is full of friction as can occur during sex that is not well lubricated. Most Cuts Are Small The good news is that most vaginal cuts and tears are small, and women may only notice very light vaginal bleeding such as when they go to the bathroom, like you noticed. In cases of light cuts and light bleeding, the vagina tends to heal on its own in most cases, and often fairly quickly, such as within a day or two. It is likely to heal more quickly if you donrsquo;t further aggravate it, such as with more intercourse or even finger penetration, while it heals. If Bleeding Is Heavier Now, if you feel like the bleeding is moderate or heavy, please consider checking in with a healthcare provider, such as your gynecologist. You might also take out a mirror and look at your vaginal entrance or the parts of your vulva to see if there are any visible tears. Some women even ask their partner to look for them, as it can be difficult to see clearly when it is your own body. If you see visible cuts, you might call your healthcare provider to ask for advice. They may suggest that you come in for a visit or, if it seems more mild to them, they may suggest some at-home or over-the-counter treatment. Reducing Future Risk Herersquo;s how to reduce your risk of tearing in the future: Condoms that are not lubricated may feel particularly uncomfortable for many women, as it adds to the friction of intercourse. To make sex more comfortable, add some store-bought lubricant of your own to the outside of the condom ndash; once it is already on the penis ndash; or to your own vaginal entrance. You can also increase your own natural vaginal lubrication by spending more time in foreplay, doing things that feel sexually exciting and pleasant to you, however, you may still find that sex feels better with a little store-bought lubricant and thatrsquo;s okay too. Talking About Painful Sex Finally, I want to commend both you and your boyfriend for the way that you handled having painful sex. Not all women feel comfortable telling their partner that sex hurts, or asking them to stop. Also, not all men are respectful of their partnerrsquo;s choices to stop sex, nor are all couples often careful enough to use condoms when they want to reduce their risk of pregnancy or infection. You two have made choices that contribute to the strength of your relationship, and thatrsquo;s important. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-during-sex/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-during-sex/#comments Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:59:21 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2006/08/23/qa-what-caused-vaginal-bleeding-during-sex/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/vaginal-bleeding-during-sex/feed/ 2