Sexual Activity during and after Pregnancy

As long as you have a normal pregnancy, sexual intercourse can be performed and enjoyed.

If there is a history of miscarriage or if you are suffering from any condition such as cervical incompetence, which threatens the pregnancy then intercourse may have to be avoided.

During the first 12 weeks intercourse may cause miscarriage and in the last 6 weeks intercourse may include premature labour. Prostaglandin’s contained in semen may possibly produce contractions of the uterus in these two periods.

If there are no contrary indications and you should consult you doctor if in doubt, then sexual activity including intercourse can be completely enjoyed in the middle stages of your pregnancy. In the latter stages intercourse may become physically uncomfortable unless perhaps the side to side position is used.

Gentleness in you sexual practices should be the key word during pregnancy. After a normal child birth there are no special problems with intercourse. Sexual libido may be weaker and the blood levels of female hormones are normally low after child birth. Complications during the delivery and/or trauma will also dampen the woman’s appetite for sex.

Epsiotomy scars should be completely healed before intercourse is attempted. This usually occurs within 2 to 3 weeks but pain with intercourse may be a problem for several months afterwards.

In the first 3 months, if breast feeding is regular and successful and there is no need for bottle supplementation, then it is rare for pregnancy to occur because the breast feeding alters the balance of female sex hormones - however, breast feeding does not guarantee protection from ovulation and pregnancy.