Let’s admit, the mere thought of sex during pregnancy may either excite or scare you!
While many preggos indulge in intercourse during their pregnancy, others shy away from it due to the fear of hurting the baby or harming the pregnancy.
What’s the deal with sex during pregnancy? Is it safe or not?
We rounded up our experts and posed the question before them.
The result is this mammoth 2000+ WORDS of pure wisdom & science about every facet of intercourse for preggos!
Want to know the best part? You’ll discover how you can indulge in your favorite activity without any guilt or fear! 😉
Will sex during pregnancy hurt the baby?
A baby is not hurt when the couple is having sex. There are two reasons for this:
- The phallus never goes beyond the vagina
- Amniotic sac protects the baby. Mucus plug seals the cervix. The muscles of the uterus also protect the fetus.
It is important to know that there may be many complications during pregnancy.
But, we are talking about general cases of sex during pregnancy. If you have a weak womb or low lying placenta, then sex can be harmful to you.
You must consult with your doctor and know about all the complications of pregnancy before trying sex during pregnancy.
Can sex during pregnancy cause infections in the baby?
Sex does not infect your baby. Your mucus plug present in the cervix keeps the cervix shut tight.
The amniotic sac also protects your child from infectious agents provided that your partner does not have sexually transmitted diseases.
Nevertheless, if you or your partner have infections currently then it is best to use a condom.
Yeast infections can transmit sexually, and if it spreads to the womb, it can lead to painful sores and bleeding.
Once the premature rupture of membranes occurs, there is a high chance that the infection will spread to your baby.
If your partner had oral herpes, then oral sex during pregnancy can cause infections.
Your partner should never blow air into your vagina as it can send an air bubble in your womb and cause severe complications. It can even lead to a miscarriage.
Is sex safe during pregnancy?
- Some women continue to have sex right until they go into labor but for some women, sex is strictly prohibited.
- If your pregnancy is healthy, sex cannot trigger labor as your water will not break.
- If you have a low-lying placenta, cervical weakness or bleeding then take medical advice for sex during pregnancy.
Having sex is safe during pregnancy if you take the necessary precautions.
Pregnancy sex requires extra care. Sudden jerks and rough sex during pregnancy should be avoided.
Women deal with depression and mood swings during pregnancy. Sex during pregnancy is not easy because of psychological reasons too.
You might feel like having sex during pregnancy and then suddenly feel sick and would want to stop. You can politely ask your partner to stop to avoid arguments.
Unnecessary arguments can cause mental stress. Stress is the most damaging thing for the developing baby.
A mother’s mental state during pregnancy influences the baby’s traits and personality development.
Can sex during pregnancy lead to a miscarriage or start labor?
It’s a myth that sex during pregnancy (given that pregnancy is normal) leads to miscarriages or starts labor.
The uterine contractions caused due to climax or nipple stimulation are short-lived and harmless. In fact, your baby enjoys this gentle rocking.
Labor needs a lot of hormonal upsurges. If sex could start labor why would people run behind midwives?
Sex and labor have different hormonal requirements.
Sexual stimulation is so short-lived while labor stays for long. Labor requires hormones like Oxytocin in high amount.
Baby’s movements also act as the feedback for the brain to release these hormones.
Is sex more pleasurable during pregnancy?
Some women believe that sex is more pleasurable during pregnancy and others do not seem to agree to this.
Blood flow increases to the pelvic area causing engorgement of the genitals.
Some women appreciate the moistness of their vagina due to increased vaginal discharge. Nevertheless, some women find these changes undesirable.
Some women also experience cramps during intercourse or climax. The engorgement of blood vessels makes them feel full.
Sex during pregnancy is safe and can help a woman deal with the boredom or lack of confidence about her body changes.
Do sexual desires increase during pregnancy?
Your breasts are extremely sensitive, tingly and tender in the first trimester and remain this way for the rest of pregnancy.
This heightened sensitivity adds to the pleasure and is an instant turn on. But some women do not like caressing touches to their sensitive breasts.
Sexual desire is subjective in pregnancy.
Some women experience increased libido, and the others do not seem interested at all in having coitus.
Your sex drive will keep fluctuating during pregnancy, and this is all considered normal.
Is it normal for sexual desire to keep varying during pregnancy?
It is definitely normal for the women’s sexual appetite to keep varying during pregnancy.
- There is no general rule that you’ll feel a certain way about sex during pregnancy.
- Sexual desire during pregnancy has no relation to the sex of the baby or any other particular health state.
- It may even differ in kind like some women prefer masturbation and others might want a change in position of sex during pregnancy.
- You might even lose the desire to continue during a session. It is all hormonal fluctuation, and it is normal.
If you feel uncomfortable during any part of the intercourse, then let your partner know about it.
One has to adjust a bit for sex during pregnancy so that it is enjoyable and soothing for both partners.
How does sexual desire vary during pregnancy?
- In the first trimester, your body is adjusting itself to the changes. You experience nausea and tiredness the entire day around. It is OK to not feel like making love.
- In the second trimester, your body is well acclimatized. You experience less fatigue and nausea. Your sexual appetite increases.
- In the third trimester, it is more likely to go back again as you feel exhausted and huge all the time.
More often than not, even men are tentative about having sex during pregnancy. You can talk to your woman about it and discuss your apprehensions out loud. This will even reduce the chances of Post-Partum depression and issues cropping up.
Is oral sex during pregnancy safe?
- If you are thinking of having oral sex during pregnancy, then it is safe as long as you do not blow air into the vagina. It can lead to air embolism which is a bubble of air traveling in your blood circulation. Air embolism can prove to be hazardous for you and your kid.
- Please do not take part in oral sex if your partner has ever had oral herpes, or has it presently or feels like it is coming on.
- If you have no clue about your partner’s HIV status, use a dental dam. A dental dam is a sheet of latex kept between the genitals of a woman and the partner’s mouth.
Sex Positions During Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, finding a position that is comfortable for you and your partner is of utmost importance.
There are some sex positions during pregnancy that you have to ditch as they become difficult with the growing belly.
For example, the missionary position in which the man lies on top of the woman is not meant for pregnant women. This position becomes nearly impossible in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Best sex positions for pregnant women are spooning and woman sitting on top. The changing levels of estrogen and progesterone might make you feel heavy. Unless you are in the third-trimester weight gain during pregnancy won’t affect sex.
Sex positions for first trimester
During first-trimester pregnancy sex, you need to be cautious about jerks. Your belly will not be as big to make missionary position uncomfortable. You can lie on the back and have sex during early pregnancy. There are no sex positions not safe during the first trimester.
Sex positions for second trimester
Once you are 20 weeks pregnant avoid lying on your back while having sex. Face to face spooning will not be difficult.
The second trimester is the last stage to indulge in the dog position.
Sex position for third trimester
Try these positions when you feel the desire to have sex during pregnancy third trimester:
- Cowgirl or woman on top: Sitting on top of him won’t let your belly interfere with pleasurable sex while pregnant. Your partner can lay down or sit with you over him. The hot seat position or sitting on the stairs will allow a better balance.
- Spooning: Lying sideways with his body cupping your back will allow comfort. You won’t have to sit or strain yourself. The pregnancy sex position has to be comfortable more than anything else.
- Sitting on the edge of the bed: Your partner can stand and penetrate while you sit on the edge of the bed.
Avoid kneeling down with your belly without any support. Opt-out of cat position sex during pregnancy or the ones where you are underneath.
Is anal sex safe during pregnancy?
One should not indulge in having anal sex during pregnancy.
Anal sex involves the insertion of the male organ in the anus. It is not as safe as it is home to a variety of bacteria.
So if you have vaginal sex straight after anal sex, you are most likely going to contract a uterine infection.
When is sex prohibited during pregnancy?
Sex is a big no if you have the following:
- Diagnosed with incompetent cervix or placenta
- History of miscarriages
- Vaginal bleeding
- History of preterm deliveries
Precautions while having sex during pregnancy
Your caretaker might abstain you from having sex during the entire nine months of your pregnancy or during certain parts of it.
Knowing what is safe sex and when to have is critical. Do not fear or shy away from discussing the issue with your caregiver.
She might instruct you to have intercourse without climax or foreplay or penetration.
Sex without penetration sounds unnatural. But penetration is permissible when one is wearing a condom. So it depends on what advice your caregiver provides you.
- Always support yourself with a pillow underneath your back so that your back is not lying flat and is slightly tilted.
- Make it a point that the male partner is supporting his weight.
- Experiencing abdominal cramping during or after sex or during the climax is normal. If it lasts for more than a few minutes or you start to bleed after coitus, do call your obstetrician/gynecologist
- Avoid sex positions where your baby bump is vulnerable to get a jerk.
- Use condoms and never resort to jellies or crèmes for preventing any infections.
- During pregnancy, yeast infection due to abundant moisture. In this case, avoid having sex.
- Do not touch after having sex during pregnancy. Douching is washing or dabbing your vagina with fluids.
Sex during pregnancy first trimester
During the first trimester, your body undergoes many changes. Morning sickness is at its worst during the first trimester. You feel a full bladder and have constipation. You might have itchy and sore breasts. It is almost as if you are sick. And over that, you keep falling ill due to lowered immunity in the first three months.
It is common that a woman avoids sex during the first trimester of pregnancy.
A feeling of full bladder and spotting also creates an aversion to sex. You have a lot of cervical mucus, and thus you feel irritated, and your sexual desires take a back seat.
Sex during pregnancy second trimester
By the second trimester, you start feeling an increase in sexual appetite. It is because now you are more used to your new body.
Also, it’s been long that you had sex and so it is like returning from a diet.
During the second trimester, you have a baby bump. The missionary pose for sex seems no good now.
You cannot risk taking the weight of your partner on your baby bump.
Sex positions for the second trimester like the spoon and sideways sex positions are comfortable.
Frankly, once you are in the right mood, none of this will matter, and you’ll do as you like eventually.
But it is not advisable to adopt any sex position that allows pressure to build upon your belly. You can sit on top of your partner but avoid going under him.
Sex during pregnancy third trimester
Sex during the third trimester is slightly uncomfortable.
Your baby bump grows large and even lying sideways isn’t easy. While having sex during the third trimester always place a pillow under your baby bump.
Place your one leg a little higher to avoid blood flow disruption. If you have a history of miscarriages or preterm labor, then it is best to avoid sex during the third trimester.
Some sex positions will become impossible for you temporarily. Make sure if you are having butt sex then avoid laying upside down for long as fluids accumulating in your womb are very risky.
Sex after childbirth
Whether you have a natural delivery or by C-section, you will bleed for a long time.
Sex after childbirth will not be pleasant in the first few months. Once your body heals then also it is best to use a contraceptive.
Your body gets a natural contraceptive if you breastfeed your baby. This is the time to have unprotected sex fearlessly.
You can still get pregnant. Some women might ovulate during breastfeeding and can get pregnant.
