If you’re trying to conceive, or you’re already pregnant, you’re probably taking steps to look after your wellbeing. However, one thing you may not have considered is that you need to take care of your sexual health. Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can go undetected for years, which means your wellness may be affected without you realising, and this can affect your baby. Some STIs, such as gonorrhoea, can cause infertility while others, like syphilis, can be passed onto your baby during pregnancy. Therefore, it’s a very wise idea to get tested and treated for STIs before you become pregnant, and even if you’re pregnant already.
When you’re trying to get pregnant, you obviously stop using contraception. So, if you or your partner has an STI without realising, you or he might pass it on, which can affect your fertility or your future baby’s wellbeing. This is why it’s absolutely essential to get tested for STIs if you’re thinking of starting a family with someone. If you have contracted HIV or syphilis, you can pass these infections onto your baby, either in the womb or at birth. However, if your doctor knows that you have an STI, he or she can take steps to help protect your unborn child. You may still be able to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child.
If you have an infection that cannot be completely cured, such as HIV or herpes, your doctor can still lessen your chances of passing on the virus to the baby – as long as you get tested! This doesn’t just mean that you need to prevent passing on the virus during pregnancy or when giving birth – although that is vitally important – but you may also need to take extra care to make sure you don’t pass any STIs to the child after birth. You should speak to your doctor or midwife you about any precautions you might need to take. Moreover, you can still catch an STI during pregnancy, which can cause problems for both you and your child. You might pass on this infection during pregnancy, labour, or during childhood, so tell your midwife or doctor immediately if you are pregnant and suspect you may have caught an STI.
However, if you and your partner are both STI-free, you can enjoy sex together even when you’re pregnant. Some couples can be worried about having sex during pregnancy, but some women find that pregnancy increases their sex drive for a time and both men and women often find pregnancy quite sexy. After all, this is the last chance you’re going to have to be alone and intimate together before a little interruption comes along, so you’d better grab it before you’re stuck changing nappies and too-tired for foreplay. The baby is well-protected in the womb, and won’t have any idea as to what’s going on. It’s good to have a chat to your partner about your turn-ons and turn-offs, as these can change as your hormones change during pregnancy.
Plus, when the baby is ready to be born, having sex can help get labour started (as anyone who’s seen Friends can attest). There are substances called prostaglandins in semen which help to soften your cervix, while nipple stimulation causes your body to release hormones that encourage your womb to contract. However, if you’ve had a miscarriage or early labour in the past, you may need to speak to your midwife or doctor about when it might be safest to avoid sex. Also, when having sex, you should still use a condom or practice safe sex alternatives unless you’re both 100% sure you’re free of STIs.
