Ensuring your reproductive health is one of the most important parts of sexual activity. As unsexy as this may sound, it is critical and you have to keep certain things in mind every single time you get it on.
How do you make this easy? Maintain a simple, easy routine to keep your vaginal in check and your body STI- and pregnancy-free.
Follow these five post-sex rules to ensure your reproductive health and safety.
1) Pee within the first 10 minutes after sex
Stick with the 10-minute rule. You don’t have to jump up the minute you’re finished to hit the bathroom, but within 10 minutes is the safest bet.
You don’t want to fall asleep after sex and forget to pee. If you don’t flush your urethra, a buildup of bacteria can cause a urinary tract infection.
2) Take note of bleeding
Unless you have vaginismus, vulvodynia, or another condition that causes sexual pain, sex shouldn’t hurt.
Take a moment when you’re in the bathroom to check for vaginal bleeding. There is likely nothing medically wrong, but if you notice consistent bleeding or spotting after sex, you need to spend more time on foreplay to ensure your vagina’s sexual readiness.
3) Take a shower
You don’t necessarily need to get in the shower the same night if you’re having sex right before bed. You can wipe yourself down with a gentle, scentless wipe. This will keep things nice and fresh, but won’t irritate the vulva.
When you do shower, gently rinse the entire vulva with warm water. Do not use soap on the inner parts of the vulva or vagina under any circumstances. This can cause irritation or an infection. Your vagina self-cleans. It does not need soap.
4) Check the condom
Always use a male condom or female condom unless you’ve had an open conversation with your partner and have decided together not to use protection.
You’ll want to use condoms or female condoms if you’re not on an alternative form of birth control.
After sex, check to make sure the condom is free of holes or abrasions. This is a crucial step to ensure your sexual safety and reproductive health.
