Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-75dct Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-12T01:16:37.232Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 7 - What Do Obstetric Guidelines Say?

from Section 1 - General Issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2022

Dan Farine
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Pablo Tobías González
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina de Parla, Madrid
Get access

Summary

Medical guidelines addressing sexual intercourse during pregnancy are lacking. However, patients can find an abundance of information on the web. In short, sex during normal pregnancy is permitted. The most common reasons for abstaining from sex in pregnancy are placental problems, ruptured membranes, and pregnancies in which there is a high likelihood of premature labor. Orgasms are safe, as are oral and anal sex, as long as intercourse is not forbidden and different sexual positions are acceptable but it is preferable not to lie on the back.

Type
Chapter
Information
Sex and Pregnancy
From Evidence-Based Medicine to Dr Google
, pp. 43 - 48
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Gutzeit, O., Levy, G., Lowenstein, L.. Postpartum female sexual function: risk factors for postpartum sexual dysfunction. Sex Med 2020;8:813.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy? 2021. www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/is-it-safe-to-have-sex-during-pregnancy (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
National Health Service. Sex in pregnancy. 2021. www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/sex/ (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Sex and pregnancy. www.pregnancyinfo.ca/your-pregnancy/healthy-pregnancy/sex-and-pregnancy/ (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
Australian Government Department of Health. Pregnancy care guidelines: sexual activity. 2018. www.health.gov.au/resources/pregnancy-care-guidelines/part-c-lifestyle-considerations/sexual-activity (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
Mayo Clinic. Sex during pregnancy: What’s OK, what’s not. 2020. www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/sex-during-pregnancy/art-20045318 (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
Tommy’s Pregnancy Hub. Sex in pregnancy. 2019. www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/sex-pregnancy (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
HealthLink British Columbia. Sex during pregnancy. 2021. www.healthlinkbc.ca/pregnancy-parenting/pregnancy/your-health-during-pregnancy/sex-during-pregnancy (accessed April 7, 2021).Google Scholar
Shinn, L.. Will it hurt the baby? Plus 9 more questions about safe pregnancy sex. Healthline, 2018. www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/pregnant-sex (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Bradley, S.. Can sex in the first trimester cause miscarriage? Early pregnancy sex questions. Healthline, 2020. www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/sex-first-12-weeks-of-pregnancy (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Timmons, J.. Masturbating while pregnant: is it safe? Healthline, 2016. www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/masturbation (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Grey, H.. Should women engage in oral sex during pregnancy? Healthline, 2019. www.healthline.com/health-news/should-women-engage-in-oral-sex-during-pregnancy (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Marcin, A.. Get it on and get it…out? Can having sex induce labor? Healthline, 2020. www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/sex-to-induce-labor (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Dworkin-McDaniel, N.. Sex during pregnancy: what every pregnant person should know. Parents, 2021. www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/sex-relationship/pregnancy-sex-guide/ (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Harris, N.. Is anal sex safe during pregnancy? Parents, 2019. www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/sex-relationship/is-anal-sex-safe-during-pregnancy/ (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Taylor, R. B.. Sex during pregnancy. WebMD, 2021. www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/sex-during-pregnancy (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Miller, K.. Sex during pregnancy: what you need to know. The BUMP, 2021. www.thebump.com/a/sex-during-pregnancy (accessed April 11, 2021).Google Scholar
Murkoff, H.. Bondage and S&M during pregnancy. What to expect, updated 2022. www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/sex-and-relationships/bondage-bdsm-during-pregnancy/ (accessed April 13, 2021).Google Scholar
Tan, P. C., Andi, A., Azmi, N., Noraihan, M. N.. Effect of coitus at term on length of gestation, induction of labor, and mode of delivery. Obstet Gynecol 2006;108:134–40.Google Scholar
Kafaei Atrian, M., Sadat, Z., Rasolzadeh Bidgoly, M., Abbaszadeh, F., Asghari Jafarabadi, M.. The association of sexual intercourse during pregnancy with labour onset. Iran Red Crescent Med J 2014;17:e16465.Google Scholar
Schaffir, J.. Sexual intercourse at term and onset of labor. Obstet Gynecol 2006;107:1310–14.Google Scholar
Tan, P. C., Yow, C. M., Omar, S. Z.. Effect of coital activity on onset of labor in women scheduled for labor induction: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2007;110:820–6.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×