Some women experience a range of unpleasant emotional responses after sex, many of which include feelings of sadness.
This is also known as post-coital tristesse, or post-coital dysphoria, and it affects both women and men.
There is an exchange of bodily fluids during sex, and sometimes the combination of two sweaty bodies does smell a bit weird for some people.
This may, however, be a sign of sensitivity or allergy to latex condoms or a specific lube.
If a woman has sex without a condom with a man, then it’s normal for some semen to leak out of a woman’s body. Peeing after sex may help flush it out.
Some women experience menstrual-like cramps when they climax. The muscles in the pelvis and pelvic floor can contract involuntarily, and that can be painful. It is, however, usually a temporary response.
“Post-sex sadness, anxiety, or agitation can feel confusing and uncomfortable, especially for those who are used to experiencing pleasure and closeness with their partners following sexual activity,” explains Elizabeth A. Grill, an associate professor of psychology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
Passing these may feel a bit embarrassing, especially when it happens for the first time, but it’s completely normal and, indeed, harmless.
Vaginal gas, aka vaginal flatulence, occurs when air gets trapped during intercourse and then it’s released, sounding like farts.
Sometimes it gets itchy down there during or after sex. This is often caused by irritation due to friction during intercourse.
Yes, real farting can happen, especially during the big O. Muscle contraction experienced during climax and can trigger the involuntary release of gas. Again, there is nothing to worry about. It’s just the human body doing a human body thing.
Spotting afterwards may occur. Again, it may be nothing to worry about, but bleeding should never be ignored.
Sometimes, though, bleeding can be a sign of something else, like an STI, vaginal tears, or inflammation of the cervix. Some women may be able to tell the difference, but when in doubt it’s important to get it checked out.
Dyspareunia is the term used to describe genital pain experienced before, during, or after intercourse. This is actually pretty common, and the reasons for it can vary and range from psychological to physical conditions.
A woman’s period may just start during intercourse. Unexpectedly seeing blood may be a bit frightening, but sometimes it’s just an unplanned start of menstruation.
Causes may include vaginal atrophy, vaginismus, endometriosis, STIs, and a wide range of mental health issues. As such, treatment varies and will need to address the root cause.
Sexual benign headaches that occur during or after climax are usually caused by a rapid increase in blood pressure and blood vessel dilation. But while they do affect women, these types of headaches are actually more common in men.
Headaches can happen in every stage of the sexual act, and the severity of these can vary. These are often caused by muscle contractions in the head and neck, or have a vascular root cause.
If no other symptoms develop, over-the-counter treatment and good hydration should suffice.
UTIs are actually pretty common when a woman has sex for the first time or after a long period of abstinence. There’s even a name for it: “honeymoon cystitis.”
Speaking of pee, having the urge to do so and this being painful are both signs of a urinary tract infection (UTI). UTIs are pretty common in women, because anatomically it’s easy for bacteria to travel to the bladder.
Sexual arousal means a lot of blood flushes women’s erogenous areas, so breasts will get larger, and so will the vagina.
It’s pretty common for women to feel like they need to pee when they have penetrative sex, and the sensation can be exacerbated by certain positions.
This happens for a few reasons, namely pressure on the bladder and g-spot stimulation. It goes without saying that going to the bathroom before having sex is the best way to prevent this.
Lubrication is very important when it comes to sex, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen naturally. Yes, a woman can be aroused and dry up suddenly.
Vaginal dryness can be painful for both women and men, but luckily there’s an easy fix: lubricant.
Women's sexuality has many nuances when it comes to pleasure, pain, and emotional responses. Indeed, women's unique reproductive system comes with its pros and cons with regards to sex and medical conditions, and some of these are not addressed often enough. It is true that women's sexuality has never been so openly discussed as it is in this day and age, but some myths and taboos still persist.
In this gallery, we look at some of the unexpected things that can happen to women during sex. Curious? Then click on!
Some women laugh uncontrollably when they reach the big O. The exact mechanisms are not fully understood, and some women do have involuntary responses such as spontaneous laughter.
Sources: (Business Insider) (Cosmopolitan) (Everyday Health) (The Guardian)
“Many women experience a ‘sex flush’ during arousal. Relaxation of blood vessels can cause a noticeable, red discoloration of the skin of the neck and chest that may go unnoticed with the lights off,” explains Jonathan Schaffir, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University.
Things can get even more funky when unprotected sex takes place. This is because the vaginal pH is different from that of semen, and the result of the mix may not be very pleasant.
Unexpected things that can happen to women during sex
From gas to mood swings
HEALTH Women's health
Women's sexuality has many nuances when it comes to pleasure, pain, and emotional responses. Indeed, women's unique reproductive system comes with its pros and cons with regards to sex and medical conditions, and some of these are not addressed often enough. It is true that women's sexuality has never been so openly discussed as it is in this day and age, but some myths and taboos still persist.
In this gallery, we look at some of the unexpected things that can happen to women during sex. Curious? Then click on!