Although you probably think you know everything about s3x by the time you get pregnant—after all, it’s what landed you in this situation in the first place—you may still have plenty of questions about knocking boots while you’re knocked up. Those might include “Am I going to hurt the baby?” and “Will it know we’re having s3x?” And women aren’t the only ones with these fears: “Many guys are nervous about this, trust me,” says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale Medical School. But there’s no need to freak out about getting your freak on. Here’s the way-reassuring lowdown on having sex when you’re pregnant:
1. Yes, it’s safe
“S3x in general is absolutely fine,” Dr. Minkin says. Take it from us—you are not going to poke your fetus, she won’t know Mommy and Daddy are doing it, and for most women, there’s no reason not to twist the sheets throughout the trimesters. That’s especially true if your due date has come and gone. Sperm is rich in hormones called prostaglandins, which can actually stimulate the uterus to contract. That’s why, Dr. Minkin says, “We tend to encourage people to be s3xually active if they’re post-[due] date.”
