Menstrual cups and sex

Can you have sex while wearing a menstrual cup?

We are often asked if a menstrual cup can be used during sexual intercourse. So, what is the low down when it comes to a menstrual cup and sex?

It is not recommended that you use a traditional style menstrual cup during intercourse. The cups are fairly large and quite firm. They also usually sit quite low in the vaginal canal. This is especially true for women who have a low lying cervix. Due to these factors, it is very likely that yourself and your partner will feel the cup during sex. It may or may not be uncomfortable, but more often than not it just doesn’t work.

So, what are your options when it comes to menstrual cups and sex?

Disposable Menstrual Discs

While you can’t use a standard menstrual cup, there is one well know disposable menstrual disc that has been designed to be suitable for use during intercourse. The Instead Softcup is a disposable menstrual cup (you must replace the cup after 12 hours of use). The design of the Softcup is similar in looks to that of a diaphragm. As the name suggests, it is soft, and it also sits higher up in your vaginal canal just underneath your cervix. While it is still possible that your partner may feel the cup, in studies conducted by Softcup, most couples reported not being able to feel it. It may take a little getting used too for each couple and it may also require trying a few different positions. At this stage, this disposable option is not available for purchase within Australia.

Reusable Menstrual Disc

Reusable Menstrual Disc’s which have been designed in such a way that they are suitable for use during sex, are the Ziggy Cup by Intimina and the nixit. Similar in form and function as the Softcup, but in a reusable and sustainable form, the Ziggy Cup and nixit provide a unique flat-fit design that is both comfortable and effective. Made from petal thin silicone, you will not even know you are wearing them (and neither will your partner!). Both of these cups are available to purchase through our store, and we recommend reading the tips posted on the product page so you can be better prepared should you decide to try using a menstrual disc.

Will the menstrual disc leak?

It’s possible, but this is usually more likely if the cup is full. As with all menstrual cups, it usually takes a few cycles of practice to master insertion and proper placement of the menstrual disc. Once you are comfortable inserting the Ziggy or nixit, leaks should be a thing of the past!

Will the cup get pushed too far up?

You cannot lose a cup inside of you. It can only travel so far up your vaginal canal before it reaches the base of your cervix. It then has nowhere left to go. It may make removal a little trickier, especially if you have a high cervix and therefore long vaginal canal.

Can I use the Softcup, Ziggy Cup, or nixit as a form of contraception?

Probably the most important point to mention is that NO menstrual cup (including the Softcup, Ziggy Cup, or nixit) should be used as a form of contraception. Wearing a cup during intercourse does not prevent pregnancy, and they are not designed or marketed as a contraceptive device.