Technically, no — the time a woman is fertile is mostly limited to a few days each month in the middle of the menstrual cycle, meaning about two weeks from when she started her last period. That said, women may have bleeding during their cycle that is not a true period. If a woman, for example, has irregular periods and has some breakthrough bleeding, she may think it’s her period and still become pregnant if she has sex during that time

If this question means how does a woman make sure she has an orgasm during a night of sex, then it’s about a woman figuring out what makes her have an orgasm and how to incorporate that into sexual activity with her partner. This comes easily for some women and not so easily for others.

We live in a culture where women are often more comfortable with romantic thoughts and less so with sexual thoughts that may be more effective in leading to arousal and orgasm. When orgasm doesn’t occur easily or naturally for a woman, I suggest sexual fantasizing, masturbation, use of a vibrator, and a visit to a sexual resource center. If you can do it on your own, it’s often easier to graduate to doing it with a partner.

If the question means how to make sure to have an orgasm during penile sexual intercourse, that’s a tougher question. I would suggest that this is not a worthwhile goal, at least all the time, as it could require a fair amount of logistics; nothing wrong with taking turns.

Having sex seems to be about more than just making babies. Romance, being in love, sexual attraction, and expressing gratitude are the emotional drivers, but people also have sex for physical pleasure. Less positive are those who have sex because of low self-worth and insecurity issues, including the sense of duty and pressure (perceived or real) exerted by a partner.

Sleep after sex is common and likely due to the release of some of the same hormones that are associated with orgasm. In addition to oxytocin, the brain releases norepinephrine, vasopressin, serotonin, and prolactin. It may be that prolactin is the culprit chemical that induces sleep after intercourse. It is also true that sex is a very physical activity, often happening at night and in bed, all of which make falling asleep a little more likely.

There is no reason to change or alter a sex life during pregnancy unless a doctor advises otherwise. Intercourse or orgasm during pregnancy will not harm the baby, unless there is a medical problem. An unborn baby is well protected in the uterus by the amniotic fluid that surrounds him or her.

Bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually-transmitted disease.

Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age. It is not considered an STD and it is thought to occur because of an imbalance of bacteria normally found in the vagina. The diagnosis is made by examining vaginal secretions that are obtained during a pelvic exam in women who complain of vaginal discharge. The presence of “clue” cells confirms the diagnosis. Treatment usually consists of metronidazole or clindamycin.

Of course. All that has to happen is that the sperm is deposited in the vagina where all millions of them shoot up through the cervix into the uterus and down the fallopian tubes looking for an egg. Water doesn’t get into the vagina when you’re in a pool or tub. Think about when a woman gets out of a swimming pool — it’s not like a torrent of water pours out of her vagina — it’s a closed space unless something opens it … like a penis.

Too much masturbation is hard to define and is unlikely to negatively impact someone’s sex life.

Yes, to reduce the likelihood of STD transmission with oral sex, a dental dam is recommended when having sex with a new or non-monogamous partner. The dental dam is a sheet of soft pliable film that serves as a barrier to prevent STD transmission.

Probably not — if a woman consistently took a pill at any time during a 24-hour timeframe every single day, she would very likely not get pregnant. But missing pills is the most common reason women get pregnant while on the pill and is also the reason why the typical use failure rate of the pill is 8 percent instead of the “perfect use” failure rate of way less than 1 percent.

It is a good idea to tie pill-taking to something you do routinely — like brushing your teeth. I also suggest to women that they take pills in the morning; then they have all day to remember to take it if they forget. Instructions for what to do when pills are missed tend to be confusing — once you miss a pill, you’re more likely to miss more pills, but timing during the day is not a critical issue