You’ve probably figured out by now that sex had something to do with getting pregnant. But how does pregnancy affect sex? Now that you’re pregnant, you may have noticed some changes in your body and your desire when it comes to sex.


For many women, the nausea and fatigue that happens in the first trimester puts sex on the back burner. You are just too sick and too tired! Your partner may fear harming the fetus or causing something to go wrong. This is an idea that has no basis in fact but is usually a belief passed down that pregnant women shouldn’t have sex. Absolutely untrue.

You may notice that your interest in sex resumes and desire may even increase in the second trimester. You feel better, you look great, and you have more energy. Your partner notices your beautiful growing belly, and you feel sexy and desirable.

And then, in the third trimester, things slow down again. Your belly may be too large for sex to be comfortable and/or you may once again be fatigued. For some people, the thought of having sex with a baby in there is just unthinkable. Some men (and women) have told me that they think the baby can see what his/her parents are doing! Or that the penis can bump the baby on the head! Rest assured, your fetus is well protected in the uterus by the cervix and the amniotic fluid, and he or she has no idea what sex is so cannot see or understand any of that. But beliefs can be very strong, so many couples aren’t sexually active as the pregnancy draws to an end.


Experts know that at the end of your pregnancy, sexual intercourse may help to stimulate labor. This can be true if and only if your cervix is ready, then nipple stimulation may be enough to start contractions, and the semen deposited at the cervix from ejaculation contains prostaglandins that can actually soften the cervix and help to prepare it for labor.

So if you’re approaching or are at your due date, or even past your due date, and your water hasn’t broken, a nice romantic evening may hasten things along! And such time spent is far more fun and relaxing than IVs and labor induction drugs!