• Birth Control
• Chlamydia
• Sexual Health

When Can I Have Unprotected Sex

Medically reviewed and edited by Jessica Davis, FNP-BC

You might want to have unprotected sex for various reasons, including difficulties using birth control and personal preferences.

However, before engaging in unprotected sexual activities, it’s crucial to understand the risks and health complications associated with it.

It’s also important to know how to mitigate these risks to ensure you practice safe sex and keep yourself protected from unwanted health scares.

Understanding Sexual Health and Unprotected Sex

Understanding how unprotected sex can impact your sexual well-being is essential when making decisions about your contraceptive use.

This helps you identify and recognize any risks while ensuring proper communication and mutual respect between you and your partner.

When discussing having unprotected sex, it’s important to understand the risks involved — including accidental pregnancies and the potential for contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

These risks can have a significant impact on your sexual health and overall well-being, often negatively affecting your quality of life.

That’s why it’s important to communicate and plan properly before having unprotected sex. We’ll discuss this in more detail in the next few sections.

Risks Associated with Unprotected Sex

Unwanted pregnancies

Unprotected sex significantly increases the risk of unintended and unwanted pregnancies, especially during certain times of the female menstrual cycle.

This can cause a variety of emotional, financial, and social challenges, depending on you and your partner’s readiness to raise a child.

An unplanned pregnancy can also have a significant impact on personal and professional life plans, including educational and career goals.

It’s important to ensure that both partners understand this risk and discuss what will happen if they happen to fall pregnant.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Having unprotected sex can significantly increase your risk of contracting STIs, like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and human papillomavirus (HPV).

This is even more likely if both partners haven’t been tested for STIs or are unaware of their health status, as many of these infections can be asymptomatic.

If you have an asymptomatic STI, you can still transmit it to your partner without even knowing you’ve been infected.

The asymptomatic nature of STIs also makes it difficult to treat them if you’re not sure about your health status. This can cause long-term health issues like infertility, chronic pain, and even cancer.

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Other risks

Engaging in unprotected sex also has various other risks that can have a negative effect on your daily activities and quality of life. These risks may include:

• Emotional and psychological impact: Unprotected sex can cause stress, anxiety, and feelings of regret, especially if it results in an STI or unwanted pregnancy. This can negatively affect relationships and individual well-being.

• Social and relationship implications: There can be a social stigma attached to the risks associated with having unprotected sex, which can lead to challenges in maintaining some friendships and partnerships.

• Financial burden: The costs that come with unintended pregnancies or STI treatment — including medications, healthcare visits, various check-ups, and even raising a child — can be high. Not everyone can comfortably afford this kind of medical care and it may put an unnecessary financial burden on the persons involved.

When is Unprotected Sex Considered Safe?

Unprotected sex is very rarely 100% safe, but the level of risk associated with it depends on various important factors. Let’s take a closer look at some of them below.

Relationship status

Unprotected sex may be considered safer in long-term monogamous relationships where both partners have been tested for STIs compared to other situations where this isn’t the case.

A mutual understanding of exclusivity can also reduce the risk of STI transmission.

In a relationship, sexual history, health status, and STI test results are essential factors to consider before having unprotected sex.

You should note that although unprotected sex in a monogamous relationship may lower your risk of STIs, it doesn’t fully help you avoid pregnancy.

Know your boundaries

Before having unprotected sex, it’s crucial to have an open discussion with your partner. You should cover the following:

• Determine whether both partners have been tested for STIs, and what the results of those tests were

• Make sure both partners understand the risks involved in having unprotected sex

• Prepare yourself emotionally for any consequences, and agree on how you will handle them

If one or more of these topics haven’t been discussed or you don’t feel comfortable talking about them with your partner, it might be better to avoid having unprotected sex.

The Role of the Menstrual Cycle in the Safety of Unprotected Sex

Understanding the role of the menstrual cycle is essential for couples who are considering having unprotected sex.

This form of birth control is called natural family planning and relies on the different phases of the menstrual cycle to either prevent pregnancy or conceive.

While it’s important to note that this knowledge isn’t sufficient to prevent the risks associated with unprotected sex, it might help you mitigate them slightly.

Phases of the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle typically lasts about 28 days and is divided into four phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal.

During the ovulation phase — which occurs around midway through each cycle — women tend to enter their fertile window and are most likely to fall pregnant.

You can determine when the midway point of your cycle is by counting the number of days between when your period starts and ends. This number should be divided by two.

It’s also possible to track ovulation with various apps that use a specific calendar method or by using ovulation predictor kits.

The chances of conceiving during the menstrual and luteal phases are lower, but it’s not unlikely to get pregnant during this time.

Limitations and risks

Menstrual cycles can vary from person to person, and even from month to month.

Factors such as stress, illness, and lifestyle changes can affect your cycle regularity and make it difficult to predict fertile windows accurately.

This can also make it tricky to determine when unprotected sex carries the lowest risk of pregnancy.

Knowing when your fertility windows are also doesn’t protect you from unwanted STIs, as you can contract an infection from unprotected sex at any point during your cycle.

Taking Care of Your Health after Having Unprotected Sex

Engaging in unprotected sex can have significant implications on your health, which means it’s essential to take proactive steps to maintain your overall well-being.

Go for regular check-ups

Regular sexual health check-ups are essential if you’re having, or have had, unprotected sex.

These should include testing for commonly transmitted STIs and other health risks, as recommended by your doctor.

Early detection is always important when it comes to sexual issues, especially because many STIs can be asymptomatic.

Get vaccinated against preventable STDs

There are several sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that you can get vaccinated against to protect yourself from infection. These include:

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine

• Hepatitis vaccine

It’s recommended to speak to your doctor about which vaccines are appropriate for you, depending on your age, sexual activity, and medical history.

Discuss contraception and sexual health with a doctor

After unprotected sex, it might be a good idea to discuss contraceptive options with your doctor.

This also includes a consultation about emergency contraception if you’re at risk of having an unintended pregnancy.

Your doctor can provide advice on long-term contraception methods — like birth control pills or hormonal devices — and safe sex practices while addressing any concerns you may have about your overall health.

Should You See a Doctor About Having Unprotected Sex?

Deciding whether to consult your doctor about having unprotected vaginal sex is an important consideration, especially when managing your sexual health.

It’s recommended to consult your doctor in the following circumstances:

• If you suspect that you’ve been exposed to STIs

• If you’re concerned about the possibility of an unintended pregnancy, such as if you’ve skipped your next period

• If you experience symptoms related to STIs, such as unusual discharge, pain during urination, or sores and bumps on the genital area

• If the unprotected sex was non-consensual

• If you have an existing health condition, such as a weakened immune system

Consulting your doctor allows them to provide expert guidance and advice to help you take proper care of your sexual health and overall well-being.

They can also provide reassurance and peace of mind, especially if you’re worried about the risks associated with unprotected sex.

Where Can You Learn More About Sexual Health?

If you’re concerned about your sexual health or want to know more about the safety of having unprotected sex, LifeMD is here to help.

LifeMD can connect you to a team of medical professionals who can assist you with information and provide guidance on having unprotected sex while avoiding risks and complications — all from the comfort of your home.

Make an appointment today to get started.

Jessica Davis, FNP-BC

Jessica earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UMASS and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of San Diego. Jessica is a happily married mom to a 4-year-old girl — and is passionate about animal rescue, travel, cooking, and outdoor life. She’s also a lover of exercise including half marathons, Lagree pilates, and Barry’s Bootcamp.

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