Is sex during a woman's period acceptable?

Definition and Scope

Sexual relations during a woman’s monthly cycle naturally raise questions about ceremonial laws from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), moral implications, and health concerns. In exploring whether it is acceptable, a primary point of reference comes from instructions found in the Torah, coupled with broad biblical principles of purity, marriage, and mutual honor.

Old Testament Instructions

Under Mosaic Law, passages explicitly address a woman’s menstrual cycle and its effect on personal or communal purity:

• Leviticus 15:19: “When a woman has a discharge of blood from her body, she will remain in her menstrual impurity for seven days. Anyone who touches her will be unclean until evening.”

• Leviticus 15:24: “If any man lies with her and her menstrual impurity is transferred to him, he will be unclean for seven days…”

• Leviticus 18:19: “You must not approach a woman to have sexual relations during her menstrual period.”

These commands form part of a broader system of ceremonial purity. According to that system, touching or being intimate with a woman during her monthly period rendered both parties “unclean” for a specified span of days, affecting participation in communal worship and certain religious activities.

Moral Versus Ceremonial Context

Biblical commentators have debated whether these prohibitions are strictly ceremonial (related to temple worship rituals) or carry a moral dimension. While Leviticus 18:19 appears among various moral directives, the surrounding chapters also address laws that helped ancient Israel maintain distinct worship practices and health safeguards.

• Ezekiel 18:6 echoes this stance: “…he does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.”

Although these passages underscore a prohibition, some interpreters assess them as primarily protective guidelines, aimed at ritual purity and possibly hygienic considerations in an era without modern sanitation and medical knowledge.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, explicit instructions about sexual relations during menstruation do not appear. The early church focused more on moral conduct, marital faithfulness, and mutual love rather than ritual purity laws (cf. Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 7:3–5). Many see the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic Law as fulfilled in Christ’s redemptive work (cf. Hebrews 10:1–10). However, others maintain that Old Testament guidelines about sexual behaviors still reflect abiding principles of reverence and holiness.

Health and Practical Considerations

Beyond ceremonial commandments, there are practical and health-related reasons for caution or avoidance, including heightened risk of infection and discomfort. These concerns may guide spouses to communicate openly and consider both physical well-being and mutual consent. Modern medical resources recognize that sexual relations during menstruation are generally a matter of personal preference, provided one takes hygienic precautions. Yet Scripture’s teaching on love, respect, and self-control (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22–23) encourages couples to make decisions that honor one another’s comfort and conscience.

Conscience and Community

Romans 14:5–6 offers a principle: “One man regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes a special day does so to the Lord…”. Though this passage addresses observance of days and diets, the broader concept can be extended to other personal convictions. If a couple concludes that such relations violate their conscience, they might abstain. Others, discerning that the ceremonial law does not bind believers in the same manner, may view it as permissible, so long as it is loving, respectful, and considerate.

Conclusion

Although the Old Testament outlines a clear ceremonial restriction against sexual relations during a woman’s period, many interpret this in light of New Testament teachings on Christ’s fulfillment of the ceremonial law. The moral question hinges on mutual respect, consent, cleanliness, and a genuine desire to honor one another and God within marriage.

Couples who hold to a traditional reading of Mosaic purity codes may choose to abstain to reflect biblical precedents. Others believe such commands were primarily for ceremonial contexts and may permit it under compassionate regard for each other’s welfare. In all scenarios, Scripture’s broader principles of love, cleanliness, honor, and mutual agreement remain central when deciding whether it is acceptable within a relationship.