Sex+during+Pregnancy

LaCaira Rogers

**__Sex During Pregnancy__** Sex during pregnancy is fine as long as you and the baby are healthy. Most parents have many concerns when it comes to sex, but the other partner in the relationship has needs too. Here are some common topics with tips and tricks for pregnant sex positions, what most couples are afraid of, and what to do after the baby is born. **//__ What Most Couples Are Afraid Of __//** The initial concern is that having sex will harm the baby. “Most clinical investigators conclude that coitus and orgasm are not harmful to the fetus or the mother in an uncomplicated pregnancy” (Rogers, 1983). Some couples also have an emotional side effect to having sex during pregnancy. They tend to feel guilty because their sex life changes. “From a psychological perspective, anxiety or guilt feelings on the part of either partner regarding having sex can adversely affect the sexual relationship” (Rogers, 1983). On the more emotional side, around the time of pregnancy a woman’s body is changing. Therefore, over time, the woman may start to feel uncomfortable with her body and might not want to have sex because she feels like she is too big. “”A wife who says her body is too big for sex may be offering an excuse if she means that ‘intercourse is awkward’ or a justification if she means that ‘intercourse is painful’” (LaRossa, 1979). Another thing that causes worry with soon to be new parents is that by having sex while pregnant could somehow cause a premature birth. “…There was no association between coitus, orgasm, or other sexual experiences and the onset of labor in 25 women delivering premature infants… [it] also showed that among 155 pregnant women being orgasmic was associated with lower rates of early deliveries” (Rogers, 1983).

(Above) lovely couple embracing each other **//__ Tips and Tricks for Pregnant Sex Positions __//** Even though women are usually extremely fragile during pregnancy, there are some positions for couples that are comfortable and orgasmic at the same time. Before trying any of these positions, it is best to consult your physician and make sure sex during your pregnancy is permissible, although, “no one expects a health professional to be a sex coach too” (Quilliam, 2010). As a rule of thumb there are three things to look for when discussing and trying to find sex positions with your partner: (1) both partners have to be comfortable, (2) select a position that will give you the love and tender care and sexual satisfaction that you want, and lastly (3) both partners need to be in a position where there is no pressure on the uterus or a partner’s full weight on the pregnant belly. Another key factor is that doctors say that after four months of pregnancy women should avoid lying on their back or right side for long periods of time (Silverberg, 2010). There are 5 top positions that will work for pregnant women if done correctly, according to Silverberg (2010). · //Spooning//- the key to this position is to avoid having pressure on the abdomen and there is a lot of movement. Your partner can position themselves behind you at different angles to allow for penetration.

 (Above) An example of the spooning sexual position · //Side-by-side//- this position can be trickier than spooning, but it allows for more physical contact with your partner. You can cross your legs over each other’s as long as no one is feeling the weight of the other person’s body. · //Woman on top//- this is where the pregnant woman has more control of penetration and depth. Later in the pregnancy; however, the woman may find this position to be more tiring. · //Rear entry//- this position is good for g-spot stimulation and can be a comfortable change from the norm. · //Edge of the bed//- this is the position that offers greater comfort than the others during pregnancy. You can lie on the bed at the edge and your partner can be off of the bed either on their knees or standing up. You can also combine this position with the ‘rear entry’ position with a pillow underneath your needs for comfort. **//__ After the Baby is Born __//** There is a natural decline in sex while pregnant in all couples; however, it is said to resume back to normal after the baby is born. Physicians make sure the couples know that it is key that they do not have sex until six weeks after the baby is born. In a study done with 122 couples, “when interviewed in early pregnancy about their sex life before pregnancy the majority [76%, 93 of 122] of women said they were satisfied with their sex life” (Elliot & Watson, 1985). During pregnancy, there are only a few sex positions that are comfortable for both partners. It is well known that during certain months of pregnancy you cannot have sex and during that time there is a natural decline. In the same study, it is reported that, “for the group as a whole, therefore, there was a gradual decrease over the course of pregnancy, a sharper increase in the first three months postnatal, and a continued rise in frequency up to 12 months postnatal” (Elliot & Watson, 1985). So, it is perfectly normal that sexual activity decreases while the woman is pregnant and it will resume or rise months after the child is born. Interestingly enough; however, after the baby is born there is also a report that “30% of husbands also reported being bothered by decreased sexual responsiveness in themselves since the arrival of the child” (Elliot & Watson, 1985).

(Above) Interracial couple showing affection **//__ Exceptions to the Rule __//** There are other aspects to a pregnancy and couple. Not everyone is a happy couple or ready to have a baby for that matter. For some couples sex may not be important because of other factors ruining the relationship or from the relationship already being ruined before the pregnancy. “With a less loving couple, or an unwanted child, the same outcome may result from different causes” with the outcome being a decline in sexual interactions while pregnant. On a more positive note, when speaking with a doctor about sex many couples hear ‘no sex’, ‘no sexual intercourse’ or ‘no sexual contact of any time’. If the couple is afraid of having sex, despite the other sexual positions they can partake in, there is another alternative to penetration. “In fact, if it is necessary to give up on penetration, it may still be fine to give her hand or mouth clitoral stimulation, and it will be no problem at all for her to give him release, or for the couple to kiss and caress” (Quilliam, 2010). **//__References__//** Elliot, S. A., & Watson, J. P. (1985). Sex during pregnancy and the first postnatal year. //Journal of Psychosomatic Research//, 29 (5). LaRossa, R. (1979). Sex during pregnancy: a symbolic interactionist analysis. //The Journal of Sex Research//, 15 (2). Quilliam, S. (2010). Sex during pregnancy: yes, yes, yes!. //Journal Family and Reproductive Health Care,// 36 (2). Rogers, M. V. (1983). Sex during pregnancy: common questions and practical answers. //Journal of the National Medical Association//, 75 (11). Silverberg, C. (2010, December 11). //Pregnancy sex positions//. Retrived from http://sexuality.about.com/od/sexualpositions/a/pregnantsexposi.htm.