9 Reasons to Avoid Pregnancy Sex
It’s a general knowledge among women that a little sex during pregnancy will come down fine without endangering the fetus in any way. The woman’s muscles, uterus and the amniotic fluid provide an excellent padding for the baby not to be made uncomfortable by the excitement outside. Also, there is additional protection against infection supplied by the mucus plug in the cervix. Strictly speaking, it can fail to protect properly if either of you enjoys sex outside the relationship, then you may need condoms for perfect protection from sexually transmitted infections. But generally there is nothing wrong in being playful during pregnancy.
Pregnant Women Should Avoid Sex in These Cases
Still, factors that make sex during the whole pregnancy period or some part of it unwelcome and harmful are less known, and in some cases the woman can get no warning signs when sexual activity should better be curbed. Your healthcare expert will inform you when you should abstain.
The health issues that preclude sex are as follows:
- onsets of premature labor, even if they are over soon;
- vaginal bleeding or other kinds of unexpected vaginal discharge;
- placenta previa;
- cramps in the abdomen;
- when your water broke and ruptured a membrane;
- cervical insufficiency;
- cervical dilation;
- you or your partner developing genital herpes. With your partner only having a history of genital herpes – even if there are no symptoms currently – you should preclude any kind of genital contact for the third trimester. Naturally, with oral herpes in your partner you should avoid giving oral sex;
- uncured sexually transmitted infections.
When Is Sex Abstinence Necessary
Your caregiver may insist on sexual abstinence in some other cases as well, especially if your previous pregnancies suggest that this one may also go wrong at a point – a previous spontaneous preterm birth makes it a good idea to stay on the safe side and give up sex for the latter half of your period.
Talk about Sex
Pregnancy is not a good time to avoid discussing sex – on the contrary, your practitioner should learn about it immediately once you have found the intercourse to be unexpectedly painful or it has produced strange discharges. It’s advisable then to talk it over in detail, covering all kinds of stimulation from having a straight intercourse and/or inserting things into the vagina to other types of caresses that can bring on orgasm and, consequently, uterine contractions that may affect the development of the fetus.
If you were urged to abstain from sex, explain it to your partner and discuss alternative ways of keeping your affections alive and warm for the period, if just by words.
