Yes! It is perfectly safe for you to have sex during pregnancy unless your doctor or healthcare provider tells you differently.
Sexual activity will not harm your child. A penis or penetrative sex toy cannot get past your vaginal opening, and the baby has no way of knowing what's going on.
During pregnancy, though, it's normal for your sex drive to change. While this isn't a cause for concern, it's a good idea to talk to your partner about it.
You may find having sex during pregnancy to be incredibly delightful, or you may simply not want to. You can find other ways to love or make love. The most crucial thing is to talk to your partner about your feelings.1
Sex during pregnancy is safe or not?
Having sex during pregnancy is natural and normal if you're having a healthy pregnancy. The movement of penetration and intercourse will not hurt the baby, who is protected by your abdomen and the muscular walls of the uterus. The fluid in the amniotic sac also protects your baby.
Some people believe that sexual activity or orgasms can harm the baby, cause a threatened miscarriage, or cause labour to start too soon. However, none of these are true in a healthy pregnancy.
Does sex cause labour?
Contrary to popular belief, orgasmic contractions are not the same as labour contractions. Nonetheless, some doctors advise avoiding sex in the later weeks of pregnancy as a general precaution, believing that hormones in sperm called prostaglandins can induce contractions.
One possible exemption is for women who have passed their due date and want to induce labour. Because the gel used to "ripen" the cervix and induce labour also includes prostaglandins, some doctors believe that prostaglandins in semen actually induce labour in a full-term or past-due pregnancy.
Other doctors, however, believe that the link between sperm and labour is simply a theory and that having sex while pregnancy does not cause labour.2
Braxton Hicks contractions can however be triggered by orgasm or sexual penetration late in pregnancy. Braxton Hicks are light contractions that some women feel as their pregnancy progresses. However, because these contractions do not indicate or induce labour, they are not a cause for concern.3
When to avoid sex in pregnancy?
Uterine contractions can be caused by breast stimulation, female orgasms, and specific hormones found in sperm called prostaglandins.
In the following situations, your doctor may advise you to refrain from sex:
You're experiencing unexplained vaginal bleeding
You have amniotic fluid leakage
Your cervix starts to open prematurely (cervical incompetence)
Your placenta covers your cervical opening partially or entirely (placenta previa)
You have a history of premature delivery or preterm labour 4
If your doctor says "no sex," keep in mind that this could be anything that involves orgasm or sexual arousal, not simply intercourse. Discuss it so that you understand what they mean.
If you experience odd symptoms during or after sex, such as pain, bleeding, fluid or discharge, considerable discomfort, or contractions, contact your doctor.5
Note that it is critical for you to safeguard yourself and your baby from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This implies utilising barrier contraception such as condoms or dental dams during all sexual activity.6
1 - Sex in Pregnancy; From NHS
(https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/sex/). Retrieved on 23.05.2022
2, 5 - Sex During and After Pregnancy; From WebMD
(https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/sex-and-pregnancy). Retrieve on 23.05.2022
3, 6 - What to know about sex during pregnancy; From Medical News Today
(https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321648). Retrieved on 23.05.2022
4 - Pregnancy week by week, From Mayo Clinic
(https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/sex-during-pregnancy/art-20045318). Retrieved on 23.05.2022
Comments