Chinese Woman
A Chinese woman almost died after having sex with her husband. In this picture, doctors prepare to give cosmetic surgery to Chinese woman Zhang Jing, known as the 'Ugly Girl' at a plastic surgery hospital in Shanghai, China, March 18, 2005. Getty Images/ China Photos

Sex can be a pleasurable activity, but a Chinese woman almost died while having intercourse with her husband on Aug. 19, during which she started experiencing abdominal pain.

Twenty six-year-old Xiao Qing lost 40 percent of her blood due to a burst ovarian cyst, and doctors said timely medical intervention saved her life.

This begs the question: can having sex be that dangerous?

Though consensual sex is a pleasurable experience for most people, it is not without its fair share of dangers. According to Quality Health, under certain conditions having sex might be extremely harmful for your health.

The American Social Health Organization states that 50 percent of sexually active people will contract some form of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and 80 percent of them will get infected by one or more human papillomavirus infections (HPVs) before they reach the age of 25.

While STIs and HPVs are some of the more widely known dangerous side effects of having sex, there are certain pre-existing conditions — such as angina, uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy (weak heart muscle) — which can trigger heart failure during sex, Quality Health reported.

In the case of Xiao, it was the bursting of the cyst that caused her to be rushed to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital with acute abdominal pain. Reports said she had engaged in passionate sex with her husband, whom she had not seen for the last six months.

Doctors found she had lost 40 percent of her body’s blood due to the rupture of the cyst, the Independent reported. The report also said even though Xiao was demonstrating all signs of being pregnant, that was not the case. The results of a CT scan found she had large quantities of blood and fluid building up in her abdomen and pelvic area.

Dr. Huang Mei, who is treating Xiao, said a diagnostic laparoscopy (also known as keyhole surgery) revealed "there was about 1,500 ml of blood loss in her abdomen.”

The doctors also removed a three-centimeter cyst in her right ovary. “If she was sent in later, there would be life-threatening risks,” said Dr. Huang.

Dr. Huang also explained how an ovarian cyst, fairly common in women of Xiao's age and which remains usually unobtrusive, could rupture.

They could be caused due to high blood pressure during menstrual cycles, and also occur during aggressive sexual activity, which happened in the case of Xiao.

Xiao's condition is stable at present and she is making a steady recovery in the hospital.

There are also some other rare, but equally deadly circumstances where sex can lead to a person’s demise. While latex condoms are considered a safe option when it comes to having protected sex, they can send r a guy or a girl into anaphylactic shock if he or she is allergic to the material. If one has experienced itching or rashes on the skin while putting on latex gloves, it would be a safe bet to stay away from such condoms.

Also, certain sexual fetishes should be avoided when one’s partner is pregnant; this includes blowing into the woman’s vagina and inserting recreational tools into it.

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