Expert: Maggie - 9/6/2007

Question
Well I think I might be an alien.  The first time I had sex I did not bleed.  The second time I had sex,about 4 months later, I bleed, and the third time I had sex about a month after the second incident, I bleed.  Is this normal?  My boyfriend is freaking out, and I think I need to be getting checked.   Please help me out.

Answer
Hi,

Yeah, it's normal normal when it comes to first intercourse to NOT bleed. Not all women will bleed on first time intercourse. It'a also worth remembering that any women might bleed, be it on their first time or on their 100th time or so. You can bleed at any moment during sex, not only on your first time because bleeding isn't only due to microtearing of the hymen but also to microtearing of the vaginal lining, rough sex, lack of lubrication, what have you.

So I'd suggest looking at whether or not you are fully aroused before attempting intercourse, doing lots of foreplay, using enough lube, going at it slowly...etc.
Also, if none of those factors applies, then I'd suggest you take a trip to your gyn.

Feel free to follow-up,
take care,
Maggie.