Why does sex hurt?

Sex is safe during pregnancy and often a lot of fun. Most couples enjoy the body’s changes during pregnancy, but sometimes women can find sex painful and problematic.

Some women find it difficult to relax because they’re worried that sex may be harmful to the pregnancy; this is an unnecessary fear – sex is not associated with any negative outcomes during pregnancy. Most of the time discomfort and pain during sex is just related to your changing anatomy and body shape. Familiar positions may become uncomfortable because your belly is in the way and more penetrating positions may become less desirable because your uterus has started to take space away from the upper part of your vagina. Usually, a little creativity can be both fun and problem-solving. Rear vaginal-entry positions, with the help of a few pillows or a wedge cushion, can solve several problems at once. The woman on top, as long as it’s not too penetrating, can also be pleasurable for both and it can allow you to determine the angle of entry and the depth of penetration to a degree. Finally, if you lay on your side and draw your top leg upwards, this can allow your partner to straddle your bottom leg and enter at a 90° angle from the normal. This side saddle approach allows for complete control over the angle of entry and allows you to control the depth of penetration with your top leg.

Is it okay to have sex during pregnancy?

Yes! There are some rare reasons for a woman to abstain from sex during pregnancy. These rare cases where the risks may outweigh the benefits include certain cases of preterm labor with advanced cervical dilation; preterm, premature rupture of membranes; or placenta or vasa previa. Also, women who have had a cervical cerclage during pregnancy should probably abstain. Otherwise, have fun!

Most women find sex during pregnancy more satisfying and pleasurable than outside of pregnancy. Sex during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, or any other complications of pregnancy. Even in cases where penetration may not be the best idea, such as the situations listed above, orgasms during pregnancy are still perfectly fine. If you have a cervical cerclage and don’t need penetration to orgasm, then feel free to have fun!

As your uterus gets bigger during pregnancy, different sexual positions may help both with comfort and satisfaction. If you are having trouble with comfort during sex, ask your doctor about it.