Sex During Pregnancy, Any Big Deal?

Dr. Goke Akinrogunde

Please I want to know if there is/are any harm(s) for my pregnant wife or our unborn child when we make love using the missionary style because that’s the “only style” that my wife is used to. The pregnancy is in the seventh month.

Secondly, is it true that a pregnant woman must keep having sex in order to aid her delivery (i.e for the vaginal not to be tightened / shrunk during birth)?

Bayo

Dear Bayo,
Your questions are straight forward and are certainly in league with the curiosity of a number of people in the same situation like you and your wife.

On the question relating to if it is okay to have sex when a woman is pregnant? My answer is a straight forward one: it is okay and generally speaking, sex does not do any harm to a pregnancy. If anything, the closeness involved emotionally should give some comfort to the woman carrying the physical burden of pregnancy and it is also a ‘weapon’ to keep the man “in check”.

Of course, there could be instances when it may be inappropriate to have sex when pregnant; one of such is when the pregnancy is threatening to abort spontaneously; especially when there is associated vaginal bleeding with abdominal pain. If this should arise one must apply caution and see the doctor immediately while abstaining from sex.

On the appropriateness of the missionary position during sexual intercourse: by this position, it traditionally meant that the male lies over the woman; my take is that nothing is medically, or otherwise, wrong with this position for a sexual intercourse for the health of the unborn if is comfortable for the pregnant woman. It is the comfort of the woman and the health of the unborn child that are of foremost important in the consideration of which position is appropriate during sex.

As for whether having sex or not during pregnancy have any outcome on the ease of delivery; I beg to say that no documented scientific evidence has shown such beneficial effect or otherwise.

Best wishes.