photo taken from magazine.ayurvediccure.com

Are you pregnant and wondering if sex can harm your pregnancy? If yes, then you have come to the right page. Sex during pregnancy is a common issue everywhere but still a lot of women don’t get the answers that they need when it comes to this topic. What is the real score about sex during pregnancy? Is it safe or harmful? Can a healthy sexuality still be achieved even when pregnant? Now is the time to provide the answers.

The primary concern of expectant parents is the safety of their unborn child. So they ask; “Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy?”. Sex during pregnancy can only be considered safe if one is having a normal pregnancy. What does normal pregnancy mean? A pregnancy is to be considered normal if it has a low-risk for complications such as miscarriage or pre-term labor. If uncertain about your pregnancy condition, ask your doctor, nurse-midwife or a pregnancy health provider in order to determine if you fall under this category. However, sex cannot harm your baby directly since your baby is fully protected by the amniotic sac (a thin-walled bag that holds the fetus and surrounding fluid) and the strong muscles of the uterus. There’s also a thick mucus plug that seals the cervix and helps guard against infection. The penis does not come into contact with the fetus during sex.

It is said that during pregnancy, a woman’s desire for sex fluctuates. Furthermore, many women find that sex becomes uncomfortable as their bodies get larger and achieving a healthy sexuality is becoming a challenge to the couple. Hence, an open line of communication regarding sexual relationship between couples is very important. Also, experimenting with other sex positions can help them find the most comfortable one. Ever felt that you lost complete interest in sex during pregnancy? If so, worry not for a lot of women lose their desire and motivation for sex late in the pregnancy not solely because of of their size but also because they’re preoccupied with the impending delivery and the excitement of becoming a new parent.

Now let us discuss the sexual behaviors which are not safe for pregnant women. Engaging in oral sex? If so, blowing air into the vagina is a no-no because it can cause an air embolism (a blockage of a blood vessel by an air bubble) which can be very fatal to both mother and child. Aside from that, a pregnant woman must never have sex with a partner whose sexual history is unknown or who may have an STD (sexually transmitted disease) such as HIV, herpes, chlamydia or genital warts. If a pregnant woman becomes infected, the disease may be transmitted to her baby, with potentially dangerous consequences.

There are risk factors wherein your doctor, midwife or pregnancy health provider anticipates or detects certain significant complications with your pregnancy, he or she is likely to advise against sexual intercourse. These are; a history or threat of miscarriage, unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge or cramping, leakage of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the baby), placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta (the blood-rich structure that nourishes the baby) is situated down so low that it covers the cervix (the opening of the uterus), incompetent cervix, a condition in which the cervix is weakened and dilates (opens) prematurely, raising the risk for miscarriage or premature delivery, multiple fetuses like having twins or triplets, etc.

What are the sex positions ideal for pregnant women? To mention some, they are; woman on top, spooning (man behind woman, rear entry), hands and knees or side lying, knee pulled up. Sounds like good news isn’t it? It is very comforting to know that pregnant women can still have sex as long as they know when it is safe and when it is not. A healthy sexuality is still attainable after all even though your carrying something in your belly. So have no fear, experiment and most of all be safe.

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Tags: Healthy Sexuality, safe sex, sex during pregnancy, women and pregnancy, women's sexual health issues

This entry was posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 at 10:31 pm and is filed under Breast, Vaginal and Reproductive Health, Women’s Sexual Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.