Having Sex Can Cause a Pregnant Woman to Go Into Labor
Having Sex Can Cause a Pregnant Woman to Go Into Labor
A time comes to many people toward the end of the gestation period when they are ready to gift the world a newborn baby. Expectant mothers begin to wonder if there can be natural ways they can try to induce labor when they near or pass the due date. Depending on their feelings, they may be willing to try almost anything at any time.
Unfortunately, taking spicy food and enduring long walks may seem insufficient, and you feel it is the time to let the big guns work. This moment may be your chance to try a new way to work out things. Your physician may even suggest you go home and enjoy sex with your partner. You join the vast majority that wonders if having sex can cause a pregnant woman to go into labor. Luckily, the rest of the post focuses on answering the questions you may have on the impact of sex on pregnancy and labor.
Can Sex Induce Labor
Expectant mothers experience in their second or third-trimester hardening of the uterus after sexual activity. These uterine changes result from the contractions you get after an orgasm or increased physical actions and may set the stage for false labor. Specialists also refer to false labor as Braxton-Hicks, which normally disappear with rest or changing position, distinguishing them from the real deal.
Ensure you pay attention as you progress towards the due date because these contractions can turn into true labor that compels you to deliver. Sex during the late stages of pregnancy can impact labor in the following ways.
Seminal Prostaglandins: These are lipids complexes that cause hormone-like effects in the body. Scientists argue that semen contains high levels of prostaglandins. Men deposit prostaglandins around the cervix when the ejaculate gets in the vagina during sex and can cause cervical dilatation to induce uterine contractions.
Orgasm Induced Contractions: The female lower abdomen tightens after sex to produce Braxton Hicks when pregnant. The kicks may become real labor if they get enough rhythm and strength at term.
Oxytocin Release: oxytocin, also known as love, is released during orgasm. It plays a significant role in reproduction, sex, and romantic relationships. Doctors use a synthetic form of the hormone for a formal induction in the hospital setting, proof that it can supplement the physiologic route to labor.
Impact of Sex in Labor
Many researchers have delved into the topic of sex and its impact on labor, some dating tens of years back. Sex may not be the most convenient approach to getting things right in labor, but that does not mean your input will be in vain.
Remember that if your body is not prepared to labor, nothing much you can do will automatically get things going. Engaging in sex does not induce labor before your body is ready. This is what makes sexual intercourse still safe in your pregnancy. The oxytocin, prostaglandins, and uterine contractions might only augment the processes already in progress, whether you note it or not.
Scientific Findings
Researchers in a 2006 study requested 200 women to record their sexual activities after reaching 36 weeks during pregnancy. The results indicated that sexually active women at term deliver sooner than those who did not engage in sex. Also, the need for formal labor induction was minimal in the sexually active group.
Another group of researchers 2014 analyzed records from a university healthcare center. They found that 120 women came to the hospital with signs of true labor such as ruptured membranes and bloody show. They were asked about their sexual activities a week before the visit.
The researchers learned that the gestational age of newborns from sexual active mothers at term was significantly lower than those of spouses who were not active. They concluded that sex might be linked to bringing on labor and impacting delivery.
On the contrary, a journal that was published on obstetrics and gynecology did not reveal any positive correlation between labor and sexual intercourse. The study split 200 women into two categories and instructed them to abstain or engage in sex weeks before giving birth. The rate of spontaneous labor in the two was 52% and 55.6%, respectively. The findings indicated an insignificant change between the two groups.
Takeaway
Scientific studies differ on whether or not sexual activities during late pregnancy cause labor. Such findings do not mean that you cannot try and enjoy this approach yourself. Ensure you discuss with your physician to rule out any conditions that may make sexual engagements near your due date dangerous. Otherwise, identify a comfortable position and discover what happens.