The bladder and urethra are super close together in the female body, and so sex can unintentionally put pressure on your lady parts. This, along with the build-up of fluid, can sometimes feel like an urge to pee.
However, you should know that urinary incontinence during sex is not a normal thing, and could be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Why Do I Feel Like I Have To Pee?
There are a few reasons why you might feel like you need to pee during sex. As Shape’s resident sexpert Logan Levkoff explains, since your bladder is located behind your vagina, penetrative sex can put pressure on your bladder and make you feel like you have to pee. Positions with rear entry can intensify this feeling even more.
Another possibility is that you’re about to orgasm. Sometimes orgasms can cause the muscles in your bladder to contract, causing what feels like urine to leak out. This is also known as “urination on orgasm.” It’s not something to worry about, but it can be a little uncomfortable to deal with.
If you really want to cut down on the pee-sensation, try emptying your bladder before you get started on sex. You can also try changing positions to see if that helps. And of course, you should always use protection.
It’s also possible that you have a weak pelvic floor, which can lead to the need to pee during sex. This is known as coital urinary incontinence, and it affects many women. It can lead to embarrassment, anxiety, a lower quality of life, and avoidance of sexual activity, but there are ways to help. One way is to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises. Another is to talk to a doctor about it and explore treatment options.
Are You About To Orgasm?
Often, the sensations that precede an orgasm can feel similar to the feeling of needing to pee. As a result, some people may mistake the onset of pleasure for the urge to urinate and stop sexual activity before it reaches its full potential. For this reason, it’s important to communicate with your partner about what turns you on sexually so that you can work together to reach a spine-tingling climax.
Despite the commonality of this issue, it’s not something you should have to deal with. It can cause low libido and a lower quality of life, but there are things you can do to manage the problem so that it doesn’t ruin your sex life.
For example, you can practice pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your muscles or visit a urologist for a consultation. Likewise, you can also make sure to empty your bladder before you start getting frisky, and you can switch sexual positions to prevent the pressure of your penis on your bladder from triggering a false orgasm.
Alternatively, you can just spend some time alone exploring your body with fingers or a vibrator so that you get to know the difference between the tingling of your bladder and the anticipation of a colossal orgasm. The more you know your own anatomy, the easier it will be for you to separate one from the other in the future.
Is Your Bladder Full?
Women who feel the need to pee during sex could actually be experiencing female ejaculation instead of urine. This is a common problem in women who experience urinary incontinence and can cause them to panic during sexual activity. It’s not uncommon for a woman to confuse this sensation with the feeling that they are about to orgasm, as it’s very similar.
It’s also possible that you are not peeing during sex but instead dribbling due to pelvic floor weakness. This is called stress urinary incontinence and can be caused by a number of things such as childbirth, surgery, and long-standing medical conditions. This can cause the bladder and urethra to leak if there is pressure on them during sexual activity, such as during penetration.
In this case, it is important to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to prevent leaking from happening. This can be done by avoiding drinking a lot of water and exercising your pelvic floor muscles. You can also try changing your sexual positions and experimenting with which ones feel best for you.
The good news is that most people can get rid of peeing during sex by making small changes to their lifestyle and practicing pelvic floor muscle exercises. So don’t let urinating during sex stop you from living life to the fullest! For more wellness tips, exclusive Well+Good content and free workouts, sign up for our newsletter here.
Is Your Bladder Smaller Than You Think?
The bladder is about the size of a pear and located in the lower pelvic cavity. Urine drains from the kidneys into the bladder through the ureters and then out of the body through a tube called the urethra. In women the urethra is about 1.5 inches long and ends above the vaginal opening. In men the urethra is 8 inches long and passes through the penis, opening at its tip.
During sexual activity the friction between partners causes fluid to be released from the body down there. That fluid is sometimes mistaken for pee and can lead to a false sense of urgency to go. However, it could just be female ejaculation or the natural moisture that occurs during orgasms.
A few lifestyle changes can help reduce the urge to pee during sex and prevent urinary leakage. Maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and doing Kegel exercises can all strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and lessen the sensation to pee.
Feeling the need to pee during sex is more common than you might think and doesn’t have to ruin your sexual experience or your libido. But it’s important to address the issue if it’s happening regularly and make sure your doctor understands what the causes are so they can give you the right treatment.
