Nairobi, Kenya: Last weekend, I attended a monthly wellness clinic for expectant mothers. It was an enriching and enlightening two-hour session, packed with loads of fun.
To make the session more lively and entertaining, the panelists who were gynaecologists gave more time for question and answer session as opposed to lengthy presentations. The questions were as many and varied as the pregnant mamas present.
One of the questions that drew a lot of interest and debate was sex during pregnancy. Many women, especially first time moms had genuine concerns about safety of sex during pregnancy.
“Is it true that having sex during the first trimester can cause a miscarriage?” one bold lady opened the discussion.
This question morphed into so many interesting issues from sex positions to best time to do it.
READ MORE
ICC's Khan: Forensic investigator now facing misconduct probe
Athletics Kenya must now be proactive and decisive to stop gender violence
Here is the gist of the answers that were given by the gynaecologists.
Having sex is safe for most expectant women, what matters is for the woman to be comfortable.
Although many couples worry that sex during pregnancy will cause a miscarriage, there is no cause for concern.
Early miscarriages are usually related to chromosomal abnormalities or other problems in the developing baby — not the act of sex. It was comforting to learn that as long as the woman is comfortable, most sexual positions are okay during pregnancy.
low libido
The only issue is that some women — due to hormone fluctuations and anxieties of delivery and the new arrival — switch off their minds from it, and the person who suffers is the husband. Weight gain, back pain and other symptoms might further dampen a woman’s enthusiasm for sex. Sex being an integral part of the union, it is important to keep communication lines with your spouse open if you are having issues.
If the woman is uncomfortable with the physical act, the couple could stick to kissing, caressing, and cuddling.
So as long as your pregnancy is proceeding normally, you can have sex as often as you like as long as you are comfortable.
If you are still uneasy about indulging, get assurance from your gynae.
