During pregnancy, sexual desire is normal. It’s important that both partners are comfortable with their sexual desire during pregnancy, and open communication can help.
Hormones and extra blood flow to the genitals can make sex more enjoyable. However, symptoms like sore breasts and nausea may interfere. It’s also normal for your uterus to contract during orgasm, but it won’t trigger labor.
Hormones
A woman’s body is flooded with hormones during pregnancy. These can make her feel energised at times and lethargic at others. They can also alter her sexual drive, with some women experiencing a decrease in desire. But this lowering of drive is normal and doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. If sex is still important to both partners, it is possible to build intimacy in other ways such as cuddling and massages.
Hormones that affect sex when pregnant include estrogen, prolactin and testosterone. These hormones help with a number of physical changes in the body, including making the ligaments softening and the uterus ready to respond to oxytocin (the “natural” birth-inducing drug) during labour.
During the first trimester, some physical symptoms, such as nausea and exhaustion, can reduce a couple’s appetite for sex. These same symptoms may also make it harder to get an orgasm during sex.
But a couple’s sexual urges can be restored as the pregnancy progresses, and sex is safe at any time of pregnancy in a low-risk pregnancy – This section is the result of the service experts’ research sexgils.com. The baby is well protected in the amniotic sac, and strong muscles of the uterus and a thick mucus plug near the cervix prevent it from being pulled out during sexual activity. A woman can also have a vaginal orgasm during pregnancy, which isn’t harmful. But this is rare.
Pain
Painful sex is no fun for anyone, but when it happens during pregnancy — when you’re already struggling with morning sickness, exhaustion, tender nipples and more – it can be especially frustrating. And it can also lead to stress and anxiety that could potentially harm the baby.
Hormonal changes can lead to vaginal dryness, which can cause pain. The uterus also naturally expands during pregnancy, which puts pressure on blood vessels and other organs, including the vaginal canal. That’s why it’s important to communicate with your partner, use lubrication, try different positions and take it slow during foreplay.
Some women also experience enlarged veins in their pelvic area, which can cause painful sex during pregnancy. This is called pelvic congestion syndrome, and it’s caused by varicose veins that enlarge due to the increased blood flow in the uterus and abdomen. Fortunately, it usually goes away after delivery.
Pain during sexual intercourse is rare in healthy pregnancies. But it can be a sign of a medical issue, such as a gynecological infection or a problem with the cervix (like a pelvic inflammatory disease or cervical incompetence). It’s important to talk to your doctor about this if it interferes with your sexual relationship.
Emotions
Some women experience intense pregnancy symptoms that can make sex less attractive. For example, morning sickness can reduce appetite and sex drive. In the second trimester, a woman may begin to feel fetal movements and become emotionally attached to her unborn child. This can lead to her wanting to protect the baby and prevent it from harm during sexual intercourse. [2]
A woman’s interest in sex can also decrease as she realizes that her role in the relationship is changing to one of parenthood. She might have a hard time accepting that she is no longer simply a partner or employee. This can affect how she is perceived and treated in the relationship, which can further decrease sex desire.
While a woman’s interest in sex can decrease, it is important to remember that she still wants and needs physical intimacy. Experimenting with positions, lubes, and dirty talk can help get her in the mood. If you aren’t sure why your partner doesn’t want to have sex, it’s important to communicate openly and respectfully.
Safety
There are some specific things you should keep in mind when it comes to sex while pregnant. For example, don’t use sex toys if you’re at risk for preterm labor or have an incompetent cervix (a condition that happens when your cervix opens too early in pregnancy). You should also avoid the missionary position — lying flat on your back during sex — later in the third trimester because it can cause contractions that can harm your baby and put you at risk of placenta previa, which occurs when the placenta covers all or part of the cervix.
In general, sex in pregnancy can feel different because there’s an increase in blood flow to the uterus, cervix, and vaginal area. This can make you more sensitive and naturally lubricated, thanks to a boost in hormones. You can experiment with pregnancy sex positions, but it’s important not to lie on your back in the missionary position after the fourth month of your pregnancy because it could press against your inferior vena cava and stop blood flow to your heart and other vital organs.
Lastly, it’s important to always use barrier contraception – male condoms or female condoms – with any sexual partner to protect yourself and the baby from sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and herpes.
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