Patient's question:
NoDoctor's answer:
Hello! First of all, I wish you a speedy recovery! Let me talk to you about the issue of "coitus during menstruation."The consequences of coitus during menstruation can only be summarized as "temporary pleasure, endless trouble." During the ovulation period, if a woman does not conceive, the endometrium will naturally shed, resulting in continuous bleeding for 5–7 days. During this time, the physiological barrier of the reproductive tract is weakened. If sexual intercourse occurs, it is easy to damage the reproductive tract and cause bacterial infections, gradually leading to gynecological diseases such as cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease. Moreover, it is not ruled out that ovulation may still occur during menstruation, making contraception unreliable. According to relevant experts, coitus during menstruation may also the root cause of female infertility and must be.
1) Immunological infertility accounts for about 10–30%
After married couples of childbearing age maintain normal sexual life for two years without using contraception and remain childless, they may suffer from infertility. Among them, cases where sperm fails to combine with eggs due to male autoantibodies (ASAb) or the production of ASAb in women are classified as immunological infertility. Experts believe that about 10–30% of infertility cases are related to immunological factors.
The causes of immunological infertility are usually traced to both men and women. Under normal circumstances, when the immune defense mechanism of the reproductive system is intact, men generally do not produce ASAb. However, when the blood-testis barrier is damaged by surgery or trauma, sperm is exposed to the immune system, potentially leading to the production of ASAb.
In women, the factors leading to ASAb production include individual immune differences, the lack of immune-suppressing molecules in semen, as well as reproductive tract infections, inflammation, and sexual intercourse under conditions of reproductive tract mucosal damage. Experts note that as early as 40 years ago, the medical community abroad discovered that about 80% of women with unexplained infertility had ASAb detected in their serum tests. Once such antibodies are produced in a woman's body, during intercourse, sperm entering the body will clump together and lose mobility, making successful conception impossible.
2) Damaged reproductive tract makes sperm the "number one enemy"
It is reported that the vaginal and cervical mucosa of women have immune functions. When the reproductive tract is inflamed or damaged, if sperm enters, it is recognized as the "number one enemy." Macrophages with the ability to clear "foreign invaders" enter the reproductive tract to engulf and digest sperm cells. Meanwhile, antigens carried by sperm activate lymphocytes, while changes in the permeability of the reproductive tract mucosa trigger an immune response.
The result of this series of "actions" is the presence of high concentrations of ASAb in cervical mucus, making it extremely difficult for sperm to advance through the female reproductive tract and reach the specific location where it can combine with an egg.
Experts indicate that during menstruation or when experiencing uterine bleeding or endometritis, if sexual intercourse is insisted upon due to damaged reproductive tract mucosa, it will provide easy access for sperm and its antigens to enter the bloodstream and come into contact with immune cells, making it more likely to produce ASAb.
3) Coitus during menstruation harms both parties
Some may ask, "If coitus during menstruation leads to infertility this time, won't it be fine next time after my wife's period ends?" However, reality is not as simple. It is reported that during intercourse when there is endometritis or abnormal reproductive tract conditions, if a woman has an allergic reaction to seminal antigens, even after the reproductive tract recovers, a so-called "secondary immune response" may occur, causing the body to continuously produce ASAb, making it difficult to stop.
Some young men may think, "When my wife's period lasts nearly a week or even longer, how can I resist my desires?" During sexual life, women often find it hard to refuse their partners' requests. Experts point out that men should exercise self-control at this time. Coitus during menstruation can lead to gynecological diseases and immunological infertility, causing far-reaching effects on future "sexual" happiness and family life. Additionally, a satisfying sexual life requires good physical health and a positive mood. During menstruation, women lose a significant amount of blood and are relatively weak, making it difficult to enjoy the experience. Even if they do it this time, the discomfort afterward may leave psychological shadows.
4) Patients can be classified into four types for dietary and conditioning treatment
If ASAb is detected during immunological tests, Western medicine typically recommends using condoms during intercourse to isolate sperm and gradually eliminate the antibodies. However, if the antibodies persist, this measure is of little significance. Traditional Chinese medicine views infertility as related to "qi stagnation and blood stasis" and emphasizes "promoting qi, activating blood, resolving stasis, and tonifying the kidneys." In recent years, it has further proposed the need for "clearing heat, promoting diuresis, and detoxification."
Experts note that female patients can generally be classified into four types for treatment: kidney deficiency, liver depression, blood stasis, and damp-heat. Kidney deficiency is characterized by lower back pain, frequent nighttime urination, weakness in the lower back and knees, and dizziness. Liver depression manifests as irritability, depression, costal pain, and bitter taste in the mouth. Blood stasis is characterized by menstrual pain, lower abdominal pain, fixed pain points, severe pain upon pressure, dark purple tongue, and thready pulse. Damp-heat is characterized by reduced urination, abdominal pain, and thick white greasy tongue coating.
On the premise of first treating reproductive tract inflammation, dietary and conditioning methods can be used for treatment. It is recommended to boil soup with ingredients such as scorpions, red beans, kelp, and tianqi, and then add herbs based on individual constitution. For qi deficiency, red ginseng can be added; for yin deficiency, Dendrobium candidum can be added; for qi-yin deficiency, Panax quinquefolius can be added; and for spleen deficiency, white atractylodes and Poria can be added.
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