Sexual intimacy is a normal and healthy part of a committed relationship. Now that you're pregnant, you may have questions or feel unsure about having sex with your partner.
Some truths about sex during pregnancy
• Unless your health care provider advises you otherwise, sex during pregnancy is safe for you and your baby.
• As for the baby, he or she has no idea what Mom and Dad are doing. The baby is well protected by a cushion of fluid in the womb and by the mom's abdomen.
When Is sex unsafe during pregnancy?
There are some circumstances that can make sex during pregnancy unsafe.
Women who have the following health complications should talk to their health provider before engaging in sex:
• A history or risk of miscarriage
• A previous preterm birth or other risk factors for preterm birth
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge or cramping
• Leaking amniotic fluid
• Placenta previa (when the placenta is low and covers the cervix)
• Incompetent cervix (when the cervix is weakened and opens too soon)
If your pregnancy is considered to be high risk, you may need to be more cautious than other women. Your health care provider may advise you to avoid intercourse for all or part of your pregnancy.
How does pregnancy affect my sex life?
Many women find that pregnancy makes them want sex more than they did before they became pregnant. This sex drive is caused by hormonal changes. For some women, new found voluptuousness can play a role in making them feel sexier than ever.
Other women may find that their sex drive comes in waves while pregnant. Here are some common changes you may find throughout your stages of pregnancy.
First trimester
• The first 3 months of pregnancy are often accompanied by physical symptoms that can lower your interest in sex.
• Symptoms such as feeling tired, nauseated, soreness in the breasts and the frequent need to go to the bathroom can make sex seem bothersome.
Second trimester
• By the time you reach your second trimester, the nausea, fatigue and breast tenderness have usually gone away or are much more manageable.
• Your belly is growing but it's still small enough to comfortably engage in sexual activity.
• You may even have more desire for sex!
• Some women find the increased blood flow increases their ability to have an orgasm—even more than once.
Third trimester
• Toward the end of pregnancy, your growing belly and the anticipation of childbirth and raising your new baby may reduce your interest in sex.
• Your concerns are perfectly normal. There are other ways you can be intimate with your partner without having sex.
Which sex positions are best during pregnancy?
Positions that work before pregnancy and early in pregnancy can be uncomfortable or even unsafe at later stages of the baby's development. For example, a woman should avoid lying flat on her back (traditional missionary position) after the fourth month of pregnancy because the weight of the growing uterus puts pressure on major blood vessels. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the traditional missionary position.
Try these:
• Woman on top: This position puts you in control of how fast, slow and comfortable you want to be.
• Spooning: Imagine the way that spoons fit together in the silverware drawer. Lay sideways with your partner lying behind you during sex. This position lowers the amount of pressure placed on your belly.
• Hands and knees: This position works best during the first and second trimesters as it also lowers the pressure placed on your belly. But as your belly gets bigger during the very end of pregnancy, you may find this uncomfortable.
Source: Noble Doctors
Some truths about sex during pregnancy
• Unless your health care provider advises you otherwise, sex during pregnancy is safe for you and your baby.
• As for the baby, he or she has no idea what Mom and Dad are doing. The baby is well protected by a cushion of fluid in the womb and by the mom's abdomen.
When Is sex unsafe during pregnancy?
There are some circumstances that can make sex during pregnancy unsafe.
Women who have the following health complications should talk to their health provider before engaging in sex:
• A history or risk of miscarriage
• A previous preterm birth or other risk factors for preterm birth
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge or cramping
• Leaking amniotic fluid
• Placenta previa (when the placenta is low and covers the cervix)
• Incompetent cervix (when the cervix is weakened and opens too soon)
If your pregnancy is considered to be high risk, you may need to be more cautious than other women. Your health care provider may advise you to avoid intercourse for all or part of your pregnancy.
How does pregnancy affect my sex life?
Many women find that pregnancy makes them want sex more than they did before they became pregnant. This sex drive is caused by hormonal changes. For some women, new found voluptuousness can play a role in making them feel sexier than ever.
Other women may find that their sex drive comes in waves while pregnant. Here are some common changes you may find throughout your stages of pregnancy.
First trimester
• The first 3 months of pregnancy are often accompanied by physical symptoms that can lower your interest in sex.
• Symptoms such as feeling tired, nauseated, soreness in the breasts and the frequent need to go to the bathroom can make sex seem bothersome.
Second trimester
• By the time you reach your second trimester, the nausea, fatigue and breast tenderness have usually gone away or are much more manageable.
• Your belly is growing but it's still small enough to comfortably engage in sexual activity.
• You may even have more desire for sex!
• Some women find the increased blood flow increases their ability to have an orgasm—even more than once.
Third trimester
• Toward the end of pregnancy, your growing belly and the anticipation of childbirth and raising your new baby may reduce your interest in sex.
• Your concerns are perfectly normal. There are other ways you can be intimate with your partner without having sex.
Which sex positions are best during pregnancy?
Positions that work before pregnancy and early in pregnancy can be uncomfortable or even unsafe at later stages of the baby's development. For example, a woman should avoid lying flat on her back (traditional missionary position) after the fourth month of pregnancy because the weight of the growing uterus puts pressure on major blood vessels. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the traditional missionary position.
Try these:
• Woman on top: This position puts you in control of how fast, slow and comfortable you want to be.
• Spooning: Imagine the way that spoons fit together in the silverware drawer. Lay sideways with your partner lying behind you during sex. This position lowers the amount of pressure placed on your belly.
• Hands and knees: This position works best during the first and second trimesters as it also lowers the pressure placed on your belly. But as your belly gets bigger during the very end of pregnancy, you may find this uncomfortable.
Source: Noble Doctors
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