Sex During Pregnancy Is Okay, But These 4 Positions Should Be Avoided

Bedtime affairs with a partner should be a fun and safe moment, especially for pregnant women. Huh, is having sex during pregnancy allowed? Of course you can! 

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), unless your obstetrician and gynecologist or other health care professional forbids it, pregnant women and their partners can have sex during pregnancy. 

As your belly gets bigger, you may need to try new positions. Sex during pregnancy can sometimes be uncomfortable. 

According to Aleece Fosnight, a physician assistant and sex counselor in urology, women’s health and sexual medicine, sex during pregnancy may have many benefits. 

Women who orgasm during pregnancy benefit from calming hormones and increased cardiovascular blood flow. These benefits can also be passed on to the baby.

Sex positions to avoid during pregnancy 

Keep in mind, some sex positions are considered unsafe or risky for pregnant women. During the first trimester, citing The Asian Parent Philippines, there are no restrictions on the sex positions that you and your husband can do during intercourse. 

However, things like morning sickness, as well as feeling tired and exhausted can sometimes irritate pregnant women. As you approach the second trimester of pregnancy, your growing belly can prevent you from doing certain positions. 

Some positions can also affect blood flow in the body and can put pressure or add a burden on the pregnant mother’s uterus. Well, here are some sex positions that pregnant women should avoid during pregnancy.  

1. Missionary position 

This position is the most common. However, for pregnant women, lying on their backs during sex is not a good idea because it can suppress blood flow to the mother and baby. 

Moreover, after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Sexual intercourse in the missionary position, modified missionary position, or any position where the woman lies on her back can put pressure on the vena cava, the main blood vessel that helps circulate blood through the pregnant woman’s body and to the baby.

2. Turtle position 

This position should be avoided in the third trimester. Almost similar to doggy style, the turtle position requires pregnant women to make a crawling position with their faces touching the floor. This position causes pressure on the stomach; as a result, pregnant women will feel uncomfortable and also risk causing problems to the fetus.

3. Woman in a top position 

This position is not recommended when the pregnancy age begins to enter the third trimester. This is because, citing the Halodoc page, this sex position allows the husband to do deep penetration, which is not good for the condition of the fetus in the last trimester.

4. Prone position 

Many sexual positions explore the prone position where the woman lies on her stomach while the man penetrates her from behind. However, this position can put additional pressure on the pregnant woman’s already large and heavy belly. 

And just as sleeping on your stomach during pregnancy can be uncomfortable and stressful on your back, so can having sex in the prone position or other modified versions.

According to Dr. Ina Park, Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UC San Francisco School of Medicine, bleeding during sex is a sign that you should stop. 

Or it could be because you feel pain and discomfort during sex. Talk about it with your partner. 
The safety and well-being of the pregnant woman and her unborn baby are more important at this stage of life. Pregnant women can always be intimate and express their affection in other ways.