”Is intercourse safe during pregnancy?”

June 28th, 2011 // faq

Sex is considered safe during all stages of a normally progressing pregnancy.

However, in the presence of certain complications or risk factors, your doctor would label your pregnancy as high-risk and advise against sexual intercourse. Some of these risk factors include;

• a history or threat of miscarriage

• A history of pre-term labor (you’ve previously delivered a baby before 37 weeks) or signs indicating the risk of pre-term labor (such as premature uterine contractions)

• unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge, or cramping

• Leakage of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the baby)

• Placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta (the blood-rich structure that nourishes the baby) is down so low that it covers the cervix (the opening of the uterus)

• Incompetent cervix, a condition in which the cervix is weakened and dilates (opens) prematurely, raising the risk for miscarriage or premature delivery

• Multiple fetuses (twins, triplets, etc.) (Not always a contraindication)

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“Is intercourse safe during menstruation?”

June 28th, 2011 // faq

Sex during periods is a matter of personal preference and cultural beliefs. Medically, it is safe to have sex during your period as long as you don’t use it as a ticket to have unprotected sex.

There are however, some risks in having sex during menstruation. These include;

• The likelihood of an HIV-infected woman’s passing the infection to her male partner is higher during her periods

• A woman’s chances of contracting an infection, (for e.g. herpes) from her male partner, are higher during her periods.

• Sex during menstruation puts a woman at higher risk of pelvic inflammatory disease

• A woman is also more likely to pass on other blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis- B or C to a partner during her period

• A woman is more likely to develop yeast or bacterial infections like candidiasis or bacterial vaginosis.

Following points should be kept in mind while having sex during periods;

• It’s advisable to use contraception, preferably a condom, as it will prevent transmission of infections and also protect you against any chances of pregnancy

• Consider using a dental dam while having oral sex during periods. They are available in various sizes and flavors

• Remember to remove your tampon before having sex!

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“I feel a lot of dryness and painful friction during intercourse. Are there any lubricators available in the market? How safe are they?”

June 28th, 2011 // faq

There are different types of vaginal lubricants available in the market. There are 2 main categories; water based and silicon based lubricants. Many women are sensitive to silicon based lubricants and so prefer the water based ones. KY jelly is a very common water based lubricant. If you and your partner use condoms, it is important to first see on the label whether they are compatible with artificial vaginal lubricants.

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