Life

How Doctors Feel About Sex During The 1st Month Of Pregnancy


Between the excitement of a positive pregnancy test, morning sickness, and like-whoa exhaustion, getting hot and heavy during your first trimester may not be on your list of priorities. But if you are feeling in the mood, then you might be wondering if it's safe. Can you have sex during the first month of pregnancy? After all, every decision you make after learning about your growing baby has to consider their best interests. But experts say that, girlfriend, if you’re in the mood, then you should most definitely go for it.

"It is safe for most women to have sex during the first trimester," Dr. Rebecca C. Brightman, a NYC-based OB-GYN and assistant clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells Romper. "Some doctors tell certain women to avoid sex during the first trimester, frequently those who have had fertility treatments and definitely women who are experiencing bleeding, but in a normal, low-risk pregnancy, sex is fine."

Dr. Sherry Ross, an OB-GYN and Women’s Health Expert in Santa Monica, California, agrees with Brightman, adding that even though hormonal changes, fatigue, and fear of miscarriage might not make sex a high priority, sex during pregnancy does not cause miscarriage.

"You can have sexual intercourse and other forms of sexual activity during the first month or trimester of pregnancy if you are low risk," says Ross, who is also the author of She-ology, in an email interview with Romper. "But if you are having any vaginal spotting, bleeding, or uterine cramping, then you cannot have sex until your health care provider gives you the green light. These symptoms may increase your risk of having a miscarriage, so it’s better not to be sexual active."

Ross is sure to point out that, regardless of the trimester, sex should always be put on hold if you experience any signs of pre-term labor, your water breaks, vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or uterine cramping.

"These are all indications to avoid sexual intercourse or any kind of sexual activity," she says, adding that in these instances, a woman should immediately call her healthcare provider.

If sex is on the agenda, then it’s important to note that certain positions are a no-no during all trimesters of pregnancy, including missionary position and flat on your stomach. Oh, and anything upside down because, you know, that’s something you might want to avoid with an entire human growing in your body. But minus the Cirque de Soleil acrobats, you and your partner should be fine to get it on during the first month of pregnancy.