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Can I have sex during pregnancy?
Yes! There are certain medical conditions when your care provider will advise you not to have sex, like if you are at risk for preterm labor. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor or midwife. If your water has broken, you should not have sex as it increases the risk of infection. Will having sex hurt my baby? No. No matter how large, a penis cannot reach into your uterus. In addition, during implantation, your cervix was sealed up with a mucous plug-so even if a penis could reach that far, the way is blocked! Can I have unprotected sex while I’m pregnant? If you are in an STD-free relationship, it is safe to have unprotected sex while pregnant. While the mucous plug does prevent baby from getting infections, both it and baby will eventually come out and having an STD greatly increases your baby’s risk of infection. Will having sex cause me to go into labor? Semen does contain prostaglandins, which are known to ripen the cervix, and orgasms are caused by oxytocin-the same hormone that causes contractions. However, scientific studies have been pretty mixed on whether this is a reliable tool to induce labor. Check out Evidence Based Birth for more information and links to scientific studies. What positions are safe? Pretty much any position that doesn’t put pressure on your belly or have you laying on your back. Get creative, especially in the third trimester! Cramping during or after sex is normal, especially after orgasm. But if it lasts more than a few minutes or you have any bleeding, call your care provider. Have fun! Last year, the CDC published a study that has been tracking the age of first time mothers. The study concluded that the age of first time mothers has increased across every ethnicity, mostly due to the decrease in teen pregnancy since its peak in 1990.
Age during pregnancy can be a factor in calculating a woman's pregnancy risks, specifically if she is 35 or older. These factors include having a baby with Down syndrome, as well as a higher rate of spontaneous miscarriage. If you would like more information on the risks of advanced maternal age on pregnancy and childbirth, check out this article from Evidence Based Birth. And, as always, discuss your personal risks with your care provider. |
AuthorForrest is a mother of two. She is an advocate for education and human rights. Archives
October 2017
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