Does it hurt when you have sexual intercourse for the first time?

Having sexual intercourse for the first time can be a little painful for some women, and this is completely normal.  There may also be some slight bleeding caused by the hymen being broken, but this isn't always the case.

That being said, sex should never be agonisingly painful, and you should seek advice from your doctor if you're experiencing intense pain during intercourse. 

There are, however, a number of things that can cause sexual intercourse to be painful, and I've listed a few of the more common issues below.

Anxiety

Having sexual intercourse for the first time can make people very nervous.  This is perfectly normal.  The issue of painful intercourse can arise if the female is too anxious to relax and enjoy the moment.  This will usually cause the female to not become fully aroused, and as such, not ready for penetration.  In this instance, early penetration can be painful for both the female and the male.

Infection

Infections such as thrush can make the vagina quite sore, and this can lead to painful sexual intercourse.  Another symptom of thrush is itching, so if you've experienced painful intercourse and are also itchy downstairs, it might be worth visiting your doctor.

Lack of arousal

As mentioned above, a lack of arousal can cause painful sex.  When a woman is aroused, she produces a natural lubricant that helps to ease penetration.  Without this lubrication, sexual intercourse can become painful.  There are a number of artificial lubricants available to buy that can help with this issue.

Here's a short video that provides some tips for avoiding painful sexual intercourse:

Some women do say that having sex for the first time does hurt.  Generally it hurts because the vaginal muscles are not relaxed.  Sometimes there is a some minor tearing (bleeding) that can happen, especially if there is not enough lubrication.

To make it hurt less next time.  Try to be relaxed.  If your muscles are relaxed, it will not hurt so much.  Have enough foreplay before sex--this helps with lubrication.  Also consider using an artificial lubricate--if you are using condoms make sure it is a water-based lubricate like KY-Jelly.  Sex usually gets better with practice, like anything else in this world.