And you want, and prick – that’s how you can characterize the attitude of many future parents to making love during pregnancy.
Some cannot resist sexual desire. Others are even afraid to think about having sex while waiting for the baby to be born. And still others are ready to give up sex, because they believe that during pregnancy you need to think about “much more important things.”
In what cases does sex during pregnancy have the right to exist, and in what cases is it better to resist the sexual desire of future parents?
How does pregnancy affect a woman’s sexual desire?
Sexual desire, or libido, can change in women, as can mood. The fact is that it all depends on the hormonal background.
During pregnancy, the rhythm of the work of the entire endocrine system of a woman is restructured. This, in turn, causes a change in all her behavioral reactions: strange behavior, a change in food preferences, including sexual desire. It is unpredictable: one woman becomes passionate, and she constantly wants sex, the other cools to him and may even begin to feel disgust for sex life.
It all depends on the ratio and level of hormones: progesterone, testosterone, estrogen (their level changes during pregnancy).
These hormones increase vaginal blood flow, the sensitivity of erogenous zones, and activate neurochemical reactions in the cerebral cortex. The state of the mammary glands also changes: they increase and their sensitivity increases.
With an increase in the level of the hormone prolactin and oxytocin, there are tides of tenderness and desire for a partner.
In early pregnancy, a woman may be wary of her new condition. Thus, libido can be reduced.
In 80% of women, the main peak of the rise in libido occurs in the second trimester.
What are the benefits for a woman in having sex during pregnancy
If the pregnancy proceeds normally, sex can bring a lot of “bonuses” for a woman: sexual intimacy improves mood, at this moment the birth process is gently stimulated, headaches disappear, endorphins have an analgesic effect.
First of all, sexual intimacy is recommended if a woman is going through pregnancy.
To speed up the birth process, doctors recommend unprotected sex.
The fact is that the sperm of a man contains substances that accelerate the process of smoothing and opening the cervix. This is important for natural childbirth.
It is important to listen to your feelings. With the appearance of pain, spotting and discharge of the mucous plug, sex should be stopped.
Should I give up sex in the first trimester of pregnancy
It is important to understand that the protective functions of the body in the first trimester of pregnancy are reduced, so susceptibility to various infections increases.
In the first weeks of pregnancy, the risk of infection of the fetus and the still unprotected placenta is very high.
During intercourse, the tone of the uterus may increase, and there is also a high risk of trauma to the vaginal mucosa.
If a woman does not have strict prohibitions from a doctor on sexual intimacy, then you should not neglect making love during pregnancy. But it is necessary to limit the saturation of sexual life (the amount of sex, its nature) and strengthen the requirements for personal hygiene on the part of both partners.
Why the doctor may prohibit sex during pregnancy
In some cases, you will have to give up sex during pregnancy, regardless of the desire of the woman.
The doctor may prohibit sexual activity when the expectant mother has a threat of termination of pregnancy or premature birth:
increased tone of the uterus;
bloody issues;
isthmicocervical insufficiency;
habitual miscarriage (miscarriages in anamnesis);
placenta previa or its low location;
With placenta previa, there is a risk of bleeding, which can threaten the life of the unborn child and the woman herself.
multiple pregnancy;
the presence of a sexual infection in a partner.
Again, during pregnancy, hormonal changes occur. The fact is that this affects the mucous membrane of the genital tract of a pregnant woman: it becomes more vulnerable, its protective function is disturbed, the biotope of the vaginal flora changes, the pH of the vaginal secretion increases, the growth of conditionally pathogenic flora increases (fungi of the genus Candida, gardnerella, ureaplasma, increases the amount of coccal flora), and lactobacilli (the normal biotope of the vaginal flora) becomes smaller.
This can lead to an increased risk of contracting STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), ascending the uterus, threatened miscarriage, and infection of the membranes of the membranes and premature birth.
How should the rules of sex change at different stages of pregnancy
With an increase in the duration of pregnancy and the growth of the fetus, the circumference of the woman’s abdomen increases.
It is important to use sex positions where there is no pressure on the stomach (for example, on the side).
Movements during sex should be as careful as possible (especially in the later stages). The number of sexual acts should be minimized, and under certain conditions – excluded.
The use of lubricants in most cases is not required, since a woman during pregnancy increases the blood supply to the vaginal mucosa and increases the secretion of her own lubricant.
But some women may experience vaginal dryness during pregnancy. Then the use of lubricants will be justified. But before using them, it is necessary to consult a doctor who observes a pregnant woman!
Definitely you can not use lubricants, which include substances that have an exciting effect (they can lead to termination of pregnancy).