Why pregnant women should make love

If you are pregnant and in doubt about whether you should carry on making love with your partner, then this article will clear your doubts and give you every reason to enjoy making love while you are expecting your baby.

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.

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, indulge in certain positions when you make love, or halt making love with your partner for some time or entirely for the rest of your pregnancy. These conditions that could be considered unsafe and require you to avoid making love while pregnant are:

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 a high-risk pregnancy, or if your cervix is dilating too early.
Cervical insufficiency.
Placenta previa.
Premature labour.
Unusual vaginal bleeding or vaginal discharge.
An upsurge of 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 pregnancy, making love with your partner brings crucial emotional and physical benefits. Here are the numerous reasons why pregnant women should make love with their partners:

Intimacy

Many 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, which can also make your partner feel part of the process. The baby kick could be felt by your partner while you are cuddling and making love.

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 the missionary position. You can try any style that makes you feel good during pregnancy.

You can sit on the edge of the bed while your partner enters 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 woman on top position, where you have control of the penetration depth and clitoral stimulation. However, you should not be limited by the styles listed here. Do not hesitate to experiment. Have open communications with your partner, and together you could find new styles that are enjoyable and comfortable to you.

Making love while pregnant makes you feel better.

When you are pregnant, your blood volume increases as well as 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 oestrogen levels in your body.

These changes, for some women, enhance and add to their ability to make love with their partners more pleasurable. Remember, making love while pregnant is mostly about finding what feels right for you and your partner.

Intensified orgasms

During pregnancy, many women experience stronger orgasms. This is due to the increase in blood flow to the pubic area. An orgasm cannot initiate labour, even 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 (the feel-good hormone). Intense orgasms release endorphin, which is a secret to relieving stress and even assuaging pain during pregnancy. With this, you should not reduce making love with your partner.

Boosts your body’s immune system

When you make love with your partner, you indulge in an exercise that is crucial during pregnancy. This form of exercise benefits your 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.

Studies have shown that your partner’s sperm has an 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 for each other. When you are pregnant and you make love with your partner, you feel cherished and desired by your partner. It 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 to significantly improve your mental health and quality of life. Most pregnant women begin to feel unattractive when pregnant as a result of surges 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

When you make love and achieve orgasms while pregnant, 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. There is an increase in the level of oxytocin when you orgasm, which enhances and constricts 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 abstain from that 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.

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, which causes a sensitive cervix and engorges the mouth of your uterus. This should not cause 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 sharp cramp that does not go away after a few minutes or abnormal vaginal discharge, do not hesitate to consult a medical practitioner, especially when you are not sure about your baby’s safety.

Conclusion

Most sexual positions are safe and beneficial during pregnancy. Remember, you and your partner will have to figure out what works best for you in the bedroom. You can make love and enjoy the pleasures so long as you are having a healthy and low-risk pregnancy.

You could be asked by your medical practitioner not to make love with your partner when pregnant in cases where your water has broken or your cervix is dilating too early.

Pregnant women should make love because the benefits range from emotional to physical, such as intimacy, an improved immune system, improved mental health, intensified orgasms, induced labour, and preparation for childbirth and postpartum recovery..