Sex in pregnancy
Is Having Sex During Pregnancy Safe? It induces the contractions and starts the labor? The child feels that the parents are having a sexual intercourse? The sex in pregnancy does it hurt the baby? All legitimate and very frequent questions that future parents ask themselves when they are expecting a baby.
Let's try to debunk myths and false beliefs concerning i sexual intercourse during pregnancy.
- Deep penetration damages the fetus
It is one of the hardest to die for myths. The length of the penis cannot reach the cervix, that is, the opening of the uterus. And this even if the partner is particularly gifted. In short, the vagina is very long and also the cervix is closed and sealed by a very thick mucus plug that protects the baby. The baby is tightly closed in his amniotic sac whose function is precisely to keep the fetus safe in a welcoming and muffled environment.
- Contractions of orgasm can cause a miscarriage
The little cramps you feel after sex are completely normal - it's just the muscles in the vagina tightening around the uterus and if you're not experiencing a high-risk pregnancy they do not cause any damage. There are, then, two different types of contractions: those that are felt during and after orgasm are not of the type that cause abortion, they are light and go away after a short time; actual contractions are painful, and come at regular intervals (every 3-5 minutes).
- Sex causes labor
This idea stems from the fact that there is a hormone in the seminal fluid that can potentially cause contractions, and that therefore if the sperm has reached the end it can start labor. In reality this is not the case. It is true that this same hormone, prostaglandin, is used to induce labor in the hospital but it is a synthetic version with a much higher concentration than that of seminal fluid. If the sperm contained enough hormone to trigger contractions, doctors would likely ask pregnant women to refrain from sexual intercourse for the entire pregnancy.
- Blood loss after intercourse is a symptom of fetal harm
A little blood can certainly be scary but during and after sex it is quite a common occurrence. During pregnancy the cervix becomes very flexible, it is very soft and sensitive and any stress can cause some bleeding. So unless there is copious blood loss don't worry.
- The child hears
Not at all. Your parents probably had sex while you were in your baby bump and you certainly didn't hear and have no memory. In short, experts agree that sex does not cause physical or psychological harm to the child and even if he is able to hear the noises coming from outside, they cannot interpret what happens.
Sexual intercourse in the last weeks of pregnancy
As we have said, several studies have shown that having sexual intercourse in the last weeks of gestation does not promote childbirth and does not even help to trigger contractions. If you are not in the presence of a high-risk pregnancy and if your doctor does not give any indication about the prohibition of having intercourse, there is no reason to refrain. The baby bump, however, will be particularly bulky and therefore it may not be very comfortable to be able to find a suitable position.
Positions in pregnancy
In the first and second trimester it could be easy to continue to use the usual positions, but in the last weeks the belly becomes a real obstacle and then the pregnancy requires us to review the traditional positions and those to which we were used to and pushes us to experiment. For example, the position that the woman sees may be more comfortable sopra man or that lateral, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy, when the baby bump is bulky and heavy.
Frequency of sexual intercourse in pregnancy
As we've seen if you don't feel like having sex there are plenty of excuses to back off, but being pregnant isn't a valid excuse: sex is absolutely safe in a pregnancy which is unfolding without complications. There is no rule on the number of relationships considered "normal": some women see theirs amplified libido and sexual desire during pregnancy, while others feel clumsy and experience a decline in desire. What matters most, however, is listening to your partner, communicating and expressing your feelings, fears and sensations and remembering that there are many ways to be close, "feel" and experience the intimacy of a couple.
