Sex. The activity which started this whole business can still be performed right through the pregnancy. Some women and their partners are concerned that sexual intercourse could damage the pregnancy, but this is not usually the case (although common sense suggests that you should avoid extremely rough intercourse). There are circumstances when it is not advisable, for example if there has been some vaginal bleeding, or threatened early labour, but again it would be best to ask the advice of your doctor about this. Positions may need varying as the woman’s body alters, and a couple may have fun experimenting. Sexual contact and enjoyment may become less focused on penile-vaginal intercourse, and more on other pleasurable activities.
Many things can affect the sex drive (libido). Some women feel less like having sex during pregnancy because they are more tired, or feel nauseated. Women have different hormones floating around in pregnancy, which can affect libido. Some women feel more like having sex than before. This may also vary at different times of the pregnancy, and be affected by a changing body image as the woman’s shape changes.
Your partner’s sex drive may be affected by many variables too. Some men may feel more sexually aroused by their pregnant partner. Some do not, and feel less like having sex. Some fear that intercourse could be harmful, and this affects their libido.
Orgasms can cause some contracting of the muscles of the vagina and uterus. The uterine muscles naturally contract throughout later pregnancy (known as Braxton Hicks contractions), and the added contractions are unlikely to cause a problem. In late pregnancy (around the due date) sexual activity has been said sometimes to stimulate labour, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However it does not appear to be associated with premature labour in earlier stages of pregnancy.
*151\52\4*
