Pregnant women and their partners often wonder if it’s safe to have sex during pregnancy.

Will it result in miscarriage? Will it harm the unborn baby? Are there sex positions to avoid?

Sex is a natural, normal part of pregnancy — if you’re having a normal pregnancy. Penetration and intercourse’s movement won’t harm the baby, who is protected by your abdomen and the uterus’ muscular walls. Your baby is also cushioned by the amniotic sac’s fluid. Still, as a general safety precaution, some doctors advise avoiding sex in the final weeks of pregnancy, believing that hormones in semen called prostaglandins can stimulate contractions.

How can pregnancy affect your sex life?

Your interest in sex and desire for sex (also called your sex drive) can change throughout pregnancy. Rising and falling hormone levels and other changes in your body may affect your sex drive. 

Here are some common sex drive changes you may feel during pregnancy:

First trimester. Changing hormone levels early in pregnancy and changes in your body’s shape may make you feel sexy. But these changes also may lead to pregnancy discomforts that make you less interested in sex, like feeling tired or sick to your stomach (also called nausea), having sore breasts and needing to go to the bathroom often. 

Second trimester. You may feel better during the second trimester. Discomforts you may have had in the first trimester may have gone away or you may be able to manage them better in the second trimester. Your belly is growing but it’s still small enough to have sex comfortably. In fact, you may want to have sex more often than you did in the past!

Women gain about 3 pounds of blood during pregnancy, and most of that blood flows below your waist. You may find that extra blood flow helps you have an orgasm more easily, maybe even more than once.

Third trimester. If you and your partner both desire it, it’s OK to have sex until the birth of your baby unless your provider has told you otherwise.  Toward the end of pregnancy, you may feel less interested in having sex. As your belly gets bigger, you may find some sex positions to be uncomfortable. You may be less interested in sex because you’re more focused giving birth and having a new baby.

Common questions about this topic :

1. Will penetration hurt the pregnancy?

Simply put, no. During penetration, the uterus may move a little bit and you feel it. However, one study found up to 80 percent of men worry about “hurting the baby.

2. Will pregnancy sex cause miscarriage?

Sex won’t cause a miscarriage. Miscarriages are often a result of a fetus not developing normally.

Sex doesn’t induce early labor in low-risk pregnancies. Unless there is a medical reason or one or both partners are uninterested, couples can do as they please.

3. Is bleeding after sex something I should worry about?

Due to pregnancy changes, your cervix is sensitive and can get irritated easily, leading to bleeding. You’ll notice spotting after sex, when you wipe, and possibly the next day. The spotting shouldn’t come and go, especially over days or weeks. If that happens, it may be a sign of placenta previa. If you have any other symptoms, like sharp waves of pain, rectal pressure, or inconsistent bleeding, it could be an ectopic pregnancy. Sex doesn’t cause this.

4. Is it normal for sex to hurt during pregnancy?

Sensitive breasts and nipples can be sexy. But for some, the sensitivity can make interactions painful. Blood flow and hormones can also make the clitoris very sensitive as well.

5. Are there times when sex should be avoided?

Breast stimulation, female orgasms and certain hormones in semen called prostaglandins can cause uterine contractions.

Your health care provider might recommend avoiding sex if:

• You have unexplained vaginal bleeding
• You’re leaking amniotic fluid
• Your cervix begins to open prematurely (cervical incompetence)
• Your placenta partly or completely covers your cervical opening (placenta previa)
• You have a history of preterm labor or premature birth

6. When can I start having sex after having my baby?

As one study noted, the standard recommendation is about six weeks. Women with few complications often start having sex again before that, as long as tearing or infection isn’t present. Even after your body has healed, these common changes may affect your sex life:

• Your vagina may feel dry due to changes in hormones, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Use a lubricating cream or gel to help make the vagina more slippery. Try different positions to help you feel more comfortable. 
• You may not feel as much pleasure during sex because your vaginal muscles may be weak after giving birth. This problem usually goes away over time.
• Your sex drive may be lower than usual.  This may be because of the changes in hormones after giving birth. This is normal, so don’t worry! There are lots of reasons for feeling less interested in sex, like being really tired or stressed from taking care of your baby

• You may feel fatigue taking care of your new baby. You and your partner may want to sleep after your baby has fallen asleep.  You may also have less interest right away because you have less time, energy and focus for sex as a new parent.

It can be hard to take care of yourself when you’re focused on caring for a new baby!  To help you feel better, eat healthy foods, do something active every day and rest as much as you can.