Sex during pregnancy may not feature in most women's minds. With the ever increasing demands of pregnancy, which include morning sickness, nausea, fatigue to the planning for the baby and not to mention work, there is little time if any to think about sex. However, men will be men and they being sexual beings, pregnancy may bring about a new fetish which may want to have sex. This fetish grows as the baby bump grows. and this may cause one to pose the question, is sex safe during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester?
There is no blanket answer for this. It is, however, safe to note that sex is safe when pregnant women are shown to be at low risk of harming the baby. According to Dr. Dayna Salasche, a gynecologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, this is determined by history as well as antenatal visits to the doctor who assesses the growth rate of the child and various challenges that may be accompanied. Women without a history of complications of pregnancy are safe to have sex throughout pregnancy for as long as one may desire, even to the last trimester of pregnancy. It is, however, important to note that the instance of having sex differs from person to person. Some feel like they desire to engage in sex while others tend to enjoy sex less.
According to gynecologist Monica Foreman of Montefiore Medical Center, New York, the urge to have sex in women has been shown to go up in the second and third trimester as there is engorgement of blood in the genitalia. This makes sex all the more appealing as both parties tend to enjoy it as opposed to sex in the first trimester. As the baby bump grows to the last weeks of pregnancy, it tends to be quite difficult to have sex as exhaustion comes back and penetration is difficult because of the big baby bump.
It is especially challenging for men who are performing erectile dysfunction exercises to engage in sex as this may prove to be quite an uphill task. As such, it is very important to be looking for the best ways and means to counter the erectile dysfunction so as to enjoy an amazing time. Sex in the last trimester may also be scary for the guy who tends to feel as if they may complicate the pregnancy. This in most cases is a myth as it is important to note that the baby is protected by the amniotic sac which contains the amniotic fluid, making the baby safe even if one has sex in the last trimester.
Another myth about having sex in the last trimester is that this may induce labor before term. The reasoning behind this is that when one has an orgasm, prostaglandins are released. The release of these prostaglandins may tend to cause contractions which may cause labor. That, however, is quite rare, though it is supported by the literature.
To have sex in the third trimester needs men to track women's pregnancy week by week journey so as to know which positions are enjoyable for her during pregnancy. Normally, the man on top position tends to be uncomfortable as the baby bump gets bigger. Spooning or entry from the rear may be preferred methods as they do not interfere with the baby bump.
To stay on the safe side, one ought to avoid blowing in her vagina. The reason behind this is because the air sac blown can cause an air embolus which has been shown to have the capacity of traveling up to the lungs and causing a fatality of both mother and child.
Women who have been shown to have had repeated miscarriages are not advised to engage in sex during pregnancy, more so in the last trimester. This is because sex is linked to triggering miscarriages and may even cause bleeding as well as preterm labor. Women who suffer from placenta previa are also at risk of hemorrhaging when they engage in sex during pregnancy. It is, however, safe to note that if no contraindications are set, one can go ahead and enjoy pregnancy to the last trimester.
Other reasons to avoid sex include if the man has an STD. The reason to this is because most STD's can affect a baby when they are born and at times, the damage may be permanent. In such cases, a condom ought to be used to prevent the mother from STDs. A lot of people tend to think that when one is pregnant, there is no need for protection, but this is not the case.
Last but not least, it is highly advisable that a couple discusses sex and whether or not to engage in it throughout the pregnancy. The needs of pregnancy keep changing, and the best benefits may come from sharing. Talking helps in outlining when sex is comfortable and when it is not. In so doing, one ensures that they have set a course for a satisfying pregnancy.
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