Sex During Pregnancy - Is It Safe?

Sex during pregnancy is a very delicate matter with which couples confront themselves when expecting. They often dread talking about it, fearing not to upset one another or being ashamed to bring such a thing up. This could lead to unwanted and unnecessary frustrations.

Medical authorities worldwide agree that during a normal pregnancy, intercourse is safe. There is nothing that can directly affect the baby or the mother. From a psychological standpoint, sex is even recommended. Mothers tend to start believing that, as the pregnancy advances, they become less and less attractive and desirable. This usually happens in the second trimester of pregnancy when their sex drive is re-established.







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In the first trimester of pregnancy, the mother will usually feel less sexually active. This happens because of all the changes that are taking place in her body in order to accommodate the new baby. During the second trimester there is an increase in blood flow in the pelvic area which can lead to an increase in sexual drive. By this time, the morning sickness, overall nausea and fatigue tend to make themselves less noticeable as well. During the third semester, the mother will become very fatigued due to the weight she has to carry around and the body preparing itself for birth. Also, many pregnant women have reported that during this final trimester they felt very self-conscious about their body and the way it looked.

The implications of sex during pregnancy affect both partners in a relationship. At first, they may be concerned whether it is safe or not. Probably the most common aspect they fear is causing a miscarriage by having sex. The baby is safely protected in the uterus and surrounded by amniotic fluid. The risk of a miscarriage is higher in the first trimester, but intercourse is not one of the causes.

There are some warning signs which can tell you that sex during pregnancy is not safe.

Most common of these signs are:

  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Broken water
  • Cramps or abdominal pain
  • A low lying placenta
  • Cervical weaknesses

    If any of these symptoms occur, be sure to check with your doctor and stop any sexual activity until you do so. Also, conditions that your partner might suffer from, like genital warts for example, could cause some problems for the developing baby. Both anal sex and the mother receiving oral sex from her partner and getting air blown into her vagina are to be avoided during pregnancy.

    Overall, sex during pregnancy is up to the mother and the father. There is no medical advice against it, apart from the complications presented above. The only real issues are mood swings and sudden drops in sex drive. But if there is an open line of communication between the partners, these things can be talked about and solved so that at the end of the day, both of them are happy and comfortable. There should be no worries about anything physiological regarding sex. The only aspect that demands attention is the psychological one.

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