Being pregnant does not mean you must miss out on the part that got you pregnant to start with - just follow these guidelines.

Many women wonder about whether it is safe for them, and more specifically for their unborn babies, to have sex during pregnancy. The good news is that it is safe to continue making love throughout your pregnancy, but a few simple rules do apply, you can (and should) consult your doctor about any issues regarding sex during pregnancy.

Firstly, the desire to have sex during the first three months of pregnancy normally decreases. The symptoms she will be experiencing – nausea, vomiting, fatigue – may have an effect on her libido. Women who are in the early stages of their pregnancy also fear that having sex won’t be safe for the foetus.

Then, in the later stages of pregnancy a woman’s libido is on the rise again, because of the increase in blood flow and sense of well-being. Something to remember is that the bigger a woman’s tummy becomes, the more uncomfortable sex might get, but there is also a solution to this problem.

You and your partner can explore other aspects of love making if your sex life has become a worry, or even just uncomfortable to you during this time. New positions and techniques could also be explored.

The risks of sex during pregnancy, although very rare, include premature labour, pelvic inflammatory disease, haemorrhage in the placenta and blood clots. Blood clots can be fatal, and they are a result of all the air that is being pushed into the vagina during intercourse. When a risk of premature labour exists, love making is not recommended. Luckily, there are no known risks for women with low-risk pregnancies.

Sex cannot harm the baby, because it is protected by the amniotic sac, the strong muscles you have in your uterus and the thick mucus that seals the mouth of the womb. The penis does not touch the foetus at all during sex.

Orgasms are not dangerous either – although they might be very different. When a woman has an orgasm, the muscles in her uterus and abdomen contract and a certain hormone is released. This is the same hormone that is responsible for labour, but it does not mean you are going into labour. If the uncomfortable feeling does not pass within an hour, you should see a doctor.

Reasons that would force your midwife or doctor to recommend that you avoid intercourse during pregnancy include a history or threat of miscarriage, a history of pre-term labour, unexplained vaginal bleeding and cramping, a leakage of amniotic fluid, a weakened cervix or when expecting twins or triplets.

And of course you should not have sex with someone new whose sexual history you know nothing about, but other than that, if you are a low-risk during pregnancy and you do it correctly and safely, there is no reason you should not enjoy pleasures of the flesh during pregnancy.

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