Pregnancy is full of physical, emotional, and mental changes. One of them is sex drive. Many women report a change in sexual desire during pregnancy. Some experience an increase, while others notice a decrease. If you had unprotected sex and your period is late, increased horniness can indicate something. 

However, many early signs of pregnancy and periods match. Only the hormones are to be blamed for this confusion. So, is horniness an early sign of pregnancy or period? How to know? Read ahead to find out as you also explore other possible signs to confirm if you are pregnant or if it is just your period. 

Is being horny an early sign of pregnancy

Horniness can be an early sign of pregnancy. However, as each pregnancy is different, so are the changes in sex drive. A study by Raheleh Babazadeh proved that there can be an increase or decrease in sexual desire during pregnancy. While 69.7 percent of women had a decreased libido, 18.2 percent of women had increased libido. 

So, if you have tried to conceive and experience a sudden increase in horniness, you might be pregnant. However, it is important to understand that it is actually the hormones Testosterone,  Estrogen, and Progesterone that control the sex drive in women. So, horniness can occur in different phases of the menstrual cycle as hormones fluctuate, even if you are not pregnant, or for any other reasons that can affect your hormonal balance. 

Moreover, sex drive can also vary in different phases of pregnancy. Let us explore each trimester in more detail. 

Warning
Excessive horniness can be a sign of hypersexuality or compulsive sexual behavior, which can cause distress in daily life and health issues. You should consult a doctor if you have an intense focus on sexual fantasies or desires.

First trimester and horniness

Changes in hormones can increase horniness during the beginning of pregnancy. However, women may have decreased sexual desire due to physical symptoms like nausea, fatigue, morning sickness, breast sensitivity, and a worsening sense of well-being. 

Second trimester and horniness

From the late first trimester and throughout the second trimester, most women have a higher sex drive and sense of security. The physical symptoms like nausea and morning sickness go away during this period, increasing the sense of well-being and sexual interest. 

Third trimester and horniness

Sexual desire and activity decrease in the third trimester. During this time, the baby bump increases, and intercourse can be harder. Women can feel uncomfortable in positions, unattractive, and lack sexual satisfaction. Moreover, women fear that contraction from orgasm can affect the baby. Pain during sex and the baby’s involvement in the pelvis are a few more reasons for decreased horniness. 

Some women also fear that they might get an infection from sex, which is a possibility. Infections like Chlamydia, Bacterial Vaginosis, and Urinary Tract Infections are common in pregnancy. So, avoiding sex can be a preventive step against such infections. 

Other early signs of pregnancy

Horniness alone is not a confirmed indicator of pregnancy. So, you will need to evaluate other aspects as well. The first thing that is vital for pregnancy is unprotected sex during the fertile window. During the time of ovulation, you are the most fertile, and if you had unprotected sex during this time, you might be pregnant. 

If you are not sure about your ovulation period, use this ovulation calculator to determine if you could be pregnant. 

After confirming this, you should check for other early signs of pregnancy, and if you have a few of them, you should opt for a pregnancy test. Some of these include:

  • Missed or lighter period
  • Feeling sick, emotional, upset, or tired
  • Morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting
  • Sore, large, or tender breasts
  • Increased urination
  • Constipation
  • Increased vaginal discharge
  • Sense of taste and smell changes
  • Food cravings

Horniness before and after period

Each menstrual cycle is different, but usually, most women have a high sex drive during the ovulation phase. During this time, Estrogen is at its peak, which boosts libido. It can also be understood as the body’s biological desire to reproduce as an evolutionary response to survive. With Estrogen, the love hormone Oxytocin and ovulation stimulating hormone called Luteinizing Hormone work together to boost sex drive. It might be the reason you feel horny before your period. 

On the other hand, after periods, women enter the follicular phase ( first day to ovulation day), where Estrogen slowly increases and so does the sex drive. A study by A.K. Slob found that women in follicular phases have higher arousal than in the luteal phase (second half of the menstrual cycle). It explains why you could be horny after periods.

Other symptoms similar to pregnancy

Several premenstrual symptoms are similar to pregnancy. So, these similarities are enough to create confusion. These may include:

  • Nausea
  • Light bleeding
  • Fatigue
  • Cramps
  • Mood swings
  • Discharge
  • Vomiting
  • Food cravings
Did you know?
About 90 percent of the females have some premenstrual symptoms, such as moodiness and fatigue, which are very similar to pregnancy.

How to confirm pregnancy

If you are confused about pregnancy, certain tests can help you determine if your horniness really means something or it’s just a normal hormonal change. You can take an at-home pregnancy test (a urine test) to confirm pregnancy. It is available over the counter and is 98-99 percent accurate. You can also visit a doctor for a blood test, which is a more detailed and reliable test to confirm pregnancy. If the test turns out negative and your horniness is abrupt and affects daily activities, there can be an underlying cause. You should consult a doctor to seek help in such cases. 

Conclusion

Horniness can be an early sign of pregnancy. The libido is usually high at the end of the first trimester and throughout the second trimester. However, it is not a confirmed sign. Even periods and horniness are linked due to hormonal changes. Several other premenstrual symptoms like nausea and fatigue match that of pregnancy. 

Other causes like exercise, less stress, hormonal birth control, and boosted self-confidence can increase your sex drive. So, to confirm, you will need to take a pregnancy test at home or visit a doctor. If your test results are negative, it may not be a reason to worry. However, if the sex drive causes you to lose concentration and affects daily activities, then you should see a doctor and find the real cause to avoid complications. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I hornier before and after my period? 

You can be horny before and after your periods due to hormonal changes. During ovulation, high Estrogen, Oxytocin, and the Luteinizing hormone boost the sex drive. After periods, the declined Estrogen levels start peaking again, causing high libido. 

Are pregnancy and being horny related?

Different phases of pregnancy impact sex drive differently. During the first trimester, physical symptoms like nausea decrease libido. During the second trimester, these symptoms start to disappear, boosting the libido. Sex drive again decreases in the third trimester due to a bigger bump and fear of harming the baby. 

How do I know I’m pregnant if I get my period? 

Light bleeding or implantation bleeding is common in pregnancy. However, if you have a normal, heavy period, then you are probably not pregnant. If you still have doubts, you can visit a doctor for a blood test or try an at-home pregnancy test kit to confirm pregnancy. 

Does late period and horny mean pregnancy? 

A late or missed period and horny together may be an indication of pregnancy. However, it is normal to have a late or missed period once or twice, and the horniness can indicate hormonal changes. To make sure, you can take an at-home pregnancy test or consult your doctor. 

What are the causes of horniness? 

It is not necessary that only pregnancy and periods increase sex drive. Some other possible reasons are hormonal changes due to hormonal birth control, less stress, improved self-confidence, exercise, and changes in medications. 

Citations:
WowRx uses only high-quality sources while writing our articles. Please read our content information policy to know more about how we keep our content reliable and trustworthy.