You may have wondered why pregnant women should make love. We all know that making love is a crucial part of each individual’s personality and of any healthy relationship. From any angle you view it; making love obviously impacts quality of life and is very important during pregnancy for couples.

Key Points

It is medically proven that making love is a healthy activity, and you should not deny yourself of it while pregnant.

While pregnant, your fetus is safely protected by the amniotic sac, strong uterine muscles, and a thick mucus plug near your cervix.
Your baby will not be affected while you experience the pleasure that you need.
Benefits include: intimacy, improved mental health, intensified orgasms, induced labour, and postpartum recovery
You could be asked to refrain from some form of sexual activity by your doctor if there are any underlying medical conditions or risks concerning your pregnancy.

When women are pregnant, the surge in pregnancy hormones, especially in third the trimester, can have an adverse effect on their desire to make love. However, do not forget that sexuality is an essential part of health and wellbeing for you and your partner. This article will give you clear reasons why pregnant women should make love with their partners.

It is known that the foetus is protected from harm by the amniotic sac, strong uterine muscles, and thick mucus plug near your cervix; therefore, making love is a healthy activity, and medically, you should not deny yourself of it while pregnant. Miscarriage or premature labour is not yet shown to be linked to making love while pregnant.

why pregnant women should make love — *Credit: Canva*

In the later stages of your pregnancy, an orgasm can trigger mild contractions known as Braxton Hicks contractions. You should not panic when you experience these contractions; they could be uncomfortable but go away after some time. Nonetheless, you could be asked to refrain from some form of sexual activity by your medical practitioner if there are any underlying medical conditions or risks concerning your pregnancy.

Some situations in pregnancy can propel you to refrain from certain activities, or indulge in love-making positions, or halt making love with your partner for some time or entirely for the rest of your pregnancy. The conditions listed below could be considered unsafe and require you to avoid making love while pregnant.

If you think your water may have broken because anything you inserted into your vagina at that time could introduce harmful bacteria
If you are advised pelvic rest by the medical practitioner for any reason, in high-risk pregnancy, or if your cervix is dilating too early
You have been diagnosed with cervical insufficiency
You are experiencing placenta previa
You are at high risk for premature labour
You are experiencing unusual vaginal bleeding or vaginal discharge
There is an increase in genital herpes.

Although the amniotic sac protects your baby from harmful bacteria, sexually transmitted disease (STD) is still a health risk during pregnancy. STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and HIV can be dangerous to your baby, and you should make sure to use condoms, or dental dams when making love especially if you are not in a monogamous relationship.

The reasons why pregnant women should make love

why pregnant women should make love with their partners: — *Credit: Canva*

For any healthy pregnant woman, making love with her partner brings crucial emotional and physical benefits. Here are the numerous reasons why pregnant women should make love with their partners:

Intimacy

Many pregnant women are intensely focused on their pregnancies, making their partners feel left out and lonely. Your partner should not feel ostracised; the bond between you and your partner can be strengthened through physical affection and can also make your partner feel part of the process. Pregnant women should make love with their partners to become more intimate. Cuddling and making love could be another means by which your partner could feel the baby kicks.

New sex positions

Making love while pregnant can be fun; however, you should not engage in some love-making positions that can put too much pressure on your bump, such as a missionary position. You can try any style that makes you feel good during pregnancy. You can sit toward the edge of the bed while your partner enters you while standing or kneeling in front of you. Also, you can try a position where both you and your partner are lying on your sides and your partner enters you from behind.

You could also try oral sex or a woman in the top position, where you have control over the penetration depth and clitoral stimulation. However, you should not be limited with love-making styles listed here; do not hesitate to experiment. Pregnant women should make love with their partners through open communication, and together you could find new styles that are enjoyable to you.

Making love while pregnant makes you feel better.

When you are pregnant, your blood volume increases, as does the blood flow to your pubic area, increasing the intensity of the orgasms you experience. Your breasts can be more tender and sensitive, and your vagina becomes more lubricated due to an increase in estrogen levels in your body. These changes for some women enhance and add to their making love with their partners more pleasurable. However, making love while pregnant is mostly about finding what feels right for you and your partner.

You can take advantage of being pregnant to engage in more oral sex. It may be more comfortable for you because it does not put additional strain on your expanding belly.

Intensified orgasms

During pregnancy, many women experience stronger orgasms and, to a greater extent, multiple orgasmic sensations in a row during a single sexual encounter. This is due to the increase in blood flow to the pubic area. An orgasm cannot initiate labour though; it causes your uterus to contract. When you experience orgasms, you feel calm and happy.

This happens because your body releases oxytocin, a hormone that produces endorphins. Intense orgasms release endorphin, which is a secret to relieve stress and even assuage pain during pregnancy. With this intense phenomenon, do you still ask why pregnant women should make love? Pregnant women should make love with their partners often.

It boosts your body’s immune system

When you make love with your partner, you indulge in an exercise, which is crucial during pregnancy. This form of exercise is one of the reasons pregnant women should make love, as it benefits the physical body as well as your immune system. When you make love with your partner, you are burning calories and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease. This can positively lower your blood pressure, improve your sleep, and make you feel relaxed.

A study says that your partner’s sperm has a HLA-G protein that aids in the strengthening of your immune system and thus fights against preeclampsia, which is a pregnancy-induced illness.

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Improves the wellbeing of the couple and that of the baby

If you are pregnant, you should make love often with your partner to strengthen your love and relationship with each other. When you are pregnant and you make love with your partner, you feel cherished and desired by your partner.

You will ask yourself, why pregnant women should make love? Because making love while pregnant also makes you feel safe, and the orgasms you experience aid your baby and reduce pregnancy-induced illnesses such as diabetes and preeclampsia.

Improves mental health and self-confidence

You should make love when you are pregnant, as it has been shown that your mental health and quality of life improve significantly. Most pregnant women begin to feel unattractive when pregnant as a result of a surge in pregnancy hormones and changes in their bodies. However, as you make love frequently with your partner, your self-esteem is elevated, and you feel the confidence to own your body and experience physical pleasure.

Prepares you for childbirth and postpartum recovery

Pregnant women should make love often because when you make love and achieve orgasms, it helps to lubricate your vagina and also aids in preparing the pelvic muscles, bladder control, and cervix for vaginal birth. Making love frequently as you near your due date is highly recommended because it aids in a smoother labour process. Furthermore, the level of oxytocin that is released by your body increases when you orgasms, enhancing and constricting your pelvic floor muscles for postpartum recovery.

Induce labour

As you near your due date, you should make love often to speed up labour. Do not refrain due to the misconception that if pregnant women make love, they will go into preterm labour. It has been shown that orgasms cause uterine contractions, and the prostaglandins in your partner’s sperm can help with the dilation of the cervix, a very good reason why pregnant women should make love.

When to Talk to a Doctor

When you make love and experience orgasms, you may feel some spotting, and this is due to increased blood flow to your vagina, causing a sensitive cervix and the mouth of your uterus to become engorged. This should not cause an alarm; however, if you feel so concerned about it, you can speak with a doctor on KompleteCare without leaving the comfort of your home.

Also, if you encounter some unusual circumstances, such as pain, excessive bleeding, or a harsh cramp that does not go away after a few minutes, do not hesitate to call your medical practitioner, especially when you are not sure about your baby’s safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.How safe is oral sex during pregnancy?

All forms of oral sex are safe during pregnancy, such as sucking, licking, and even tongue penetration, if your doctor gives you a go-ahead order to orgasm. Oral stimulation of your partner’s penis is safe during pregnancy, as is swallowing the semen. However, avoid blowing into the vagina during pregnancy because it could result in an obstruction of an artery or vein from an air bubble, causing a heart attack or respiratory failure – a health problem called air embolism.

2. Is bleeding after making love normal during pregnancy?

You can experience some spotting after making love; this is due to the rise in blood flow to your genital area coupled with a sensitive cervix. It does not pose any risk to the pregnancy, but if you notice leakage of amniotic fluid, prolonged painful cramps, or pain during love-making, endeavour to speak with your doctor.

3. Can making love during pregnancy cause premature labour?

You could be advised by your doctor to abstain from sex if you are at high risk for premature labour or diagnosed with placenta previa. Outside of that, making love and climaxing while pregnant does not cause premature labour. Reaching orgasm during love making is quite encouraged by some healthcare practitioners in the last trimester of the pregnancy to initiate labour, a good reason why pregnant women should make love.

4. What could be the reason pregnant women have less interest in sex?

There are several reasons why pregnant women should make love; however, the pregnancy journey is different for everyone. As the pregnancy journey progresses, a rise in hormonal changes kicks in, drastically lowering the level of desire to make love in pregnant women. Also, emotional changes during pregnancy may affect the desire for sex; this is also due to the influence of hormone, which cause some discomfort, dissatisfaction, and a feeling of being below expectations in bed by their partners.

More so, in some cultures, discussion of sexuality is taboo, and that adversely affects most women, prompting them to shy away and be unwilling to talk about their feelings regarding making love, especially when pregnant. This phenomenon gives rise to psychopathological disturbances, according to a study. I suggest you talk to your doctor about why you should make love while pregnant.

5. Can making love during pregnancy hurt my baby?

The amniotic sac guides and keeps your baby safe all the time, including when you make love with your partner. The penetration from your partner will not harm your baby because your partner’s penis cannot unplug the mechanism that guides the baby safely. The baby enjoys the motions that are associated with sex, and the kicking of the baby when you orgasm is only your baby reacting to the uterine activities.

6. Does it feel different when making love during pregnancy?

Yes, it will feel so different when a pregnant woman makes love. This is due to an increase in the level of pregnancy hormones, changes in the body shape, or emotional changes. Some pregnant women will experience intense orgasms because of the high sensitivity of their genitals. You might have less interest in the activities beneath the sheets due to dry vaginas or some other physical changes, but you can use safe lubricants to help reduce any form of discomfort during lovemaking. If you feel any unbearable pain, ensure to contact your doctor.

Do you still ask why pregnant women should make love? You can notice that you have high sex drive during pregnancy because of high levels of oestrogen, and an increased blood flow to the vulva and sensitive breast that give you intense orgasms. On the other end, low sex drive can also be experienced by most women; fatigue, nausea, or bloating could be the order of the day for you, but when it’s all low moods to make love, you can opt for cuddling, kissing, and talking with your partner.

References

Khalesi, Z. B., Bokaie, M., & Attari, S. M. (2018). Effect of pregnancy on sexual function of couples.

Leeds, S. (2021). Your questions about sex during pregnancy, answered.

Perry, C. (2022). 10 reasons to keep having sex while you’re pregnant.

Sachdev, P. (2022). 19 amazing benefits of sex during pregnancy.

Reproductive fertility centre. (2023). 4 benefits of having sex while pregnant.

Umenze, C. (2023). Why pregnant women should make love.