Is Sex During Pregnancy Safe?

Many women fear they will hurt their baby if they take part in sexual intercourse while pregnant. Doctors confirm that normal sexual activity while pregnant is completely normal and will not hurt the fetus.

According to EverydayHealth.com, sex researcher Joana Rocha Pauleta M.D., designed a poll for almost 200 women asking their experiences with sex during pregnancy

1/4 of the women were scared of hurting their baby with vaginal intercourse. Three of these women postponed sex until the babies were born. Two of these women participated in other kinds of sexual activity.
80% of women reported practicing in some sort of sexual activity during the third trimester only, 39% reported sexual intercourse during their birth week only- to help encourage labor.
Half of these women reported that during their pregnancy were just as satisfied with sex as before. 28% reported sex was less desirable.
41.5% of women felt less attractive or desirable while pregnant; although 75% of these women reported their partners did not feel differently about them.
3/4 of these women reported zero sexual issues. Those who did have problems experienced low desire, painful sex, the inability to orgasm and difficulty in developing lubrication. Despite these issues 11% of women reported the need to speak with their doctors about sex while pregnant.

Cultural background affects these experiences, according to recent studies. Women from Pakistan or Nigeria practice sex during pregnancy to help widen the birth canal making it easier to give birth. Iranian women believe sex during pregnancy can blind the baby or break the woman’s hymen.

“Having vaginal sex will not negatively impact a pregnancy,” Goldstein said in a news release. “However, many pregnant couples are reluctant to participate in sexual activity as they enter the third trimester for fear of hurting the child. It’s a common misconception that needs to be addressed more often and openly.”

Talk to your OB/GYN about what kind of sexual activity is healthy for your pregnancy.

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