Sex During Pregnancy: What Changes and What Is Safe

Is it safe to make love while pregnant? Many couples wonder without daring to ask, not in front of the gynaecologist, and certainly not in front of the family, where stubborn myths circulate. Sex during pregnancy deserves a clear answer.

Here it is: in a pregnancy that is progressing normally, sex is safe. What changes is your body, your desire, and sometimes each partner’s fears. And in a few specific situations, the doctor may ask for a pause. Here is how to make sense of it, simply.

Is sex safe for the baby?

Yes, when the pregnancy is normal. The baby is protected by the amniotic fluid, the membranes around them and the powerful muscles of the womb. Penetration happens in the vagina: it does not reach the baby, at any point in the pregnancy.

Quebec’s Mieux vivre guide puts it bluntly: penetration and orgasm do not cause miscarriage, do not trigger premature labour and do not hurt the baby. The Mayo Clinic, in the United States, says the same. Most early miscarriages come from an abnormality in the embryo, not from a couple’s love life.

Two things sometimes come as a surprise, without being a cause for concern:

• contractions or cramps during or after orgasm: the womb is a muscle, and it contracts;
• a little spotting after sex: during pregnancy, the blood vessels of the cervix change and bleed more easily on contact, explains the UK’s NHS.

The Mayo Clinic considers both common. However, cramps that do not go away or heavy bleeding, like a period, mean seeing a doctor. And after the first trimester, any bleeding should be reported, even if light: our article on bleeding during pregnancy explains why.

Why does desire change during pregnancy?

Because everything changes at once: hormones, your body, tiredness, and the way you see each other, now future parents as well as lovers. The Mieux vivre guide sums it up: desire and how often you have sex can increase, decrease or vary over the months.

Allo Docteurs, a French health programme, describes tendencies, to be taken as pointers rather than rules:

There is no norm, Allo Docteurs points out, and no obligation either. If nausea is wearing you out, our tips against pregnancy sickness can help you get some energy back. If it is your back or legs, see our advice on easing the common discomforts of pregnancy.

Your partner’s desire may also change, because of the transformations in your body, the new role of father-to-be or the fear of hurting the baby. Pleasure itself can be experienced differently by each of you, the Quebec guide notes.

When might the doctor advise against sex?

In a few situations, your doctor or midwife may ask you to avoid sex, particularly penetration. The sources we consulted mention:

• vaginal bleeding, until its cause is known;
• leaking amniotic fluid, a possible sign that your waters have broken, with a risk of infection for you and the baby;
• placenta praevia, meaning a placenta that partly or fully covers the cervix;
• a cervix that opens too early;
• a risk of premature labour, or a history of premature birth;
• unexplained abdominal pain;
• a sexually transmitted infection in your partner: vaginal, oral and anal sex should then be avoided.

This does not necessarily rule out all intimacy. Ask precisely what is still possible: caressing, orgasm, penetration. The instructions differ according to the situation.

As for infections, the Quebec guide recommends protecting yourself with a condom throughout pregnancy whenever there is a risk. The Mayo Clinic advises it with a new partner or multiple partners, because an infection during pregnancy can have serious consequences for mother and baby.

Which positions are the most comfortable?

Any that suit you, says the Mayo Clinic: if a position is uncomfortable, change it. Your bump, back and ligaments simply mean adapting as the months go by. According to Allo Docteurs, lying face to face becomes difficult in the ninth month, and many couples then turn to side-lying positions.

A few options that are gentle on the bump:

• on your side, one behind the other, with no weight on the bump;
• woman on top, which lets her control the rhythm and depth;
• sitting on the edge of the bed, with your back well supported;
• with cushions under the bump, under the hips or behind the back.

A long or C-shaped pregnancy pillow slips easily under your bump or behind your back, and also helps at night for sleeping on your side.

From the shop

Cushions for support, on your own or as a couple

Nothing here is essential. A pregnancy pillow is mainly for sleeping on your side and easing your back, but it also helps you find a comfortable position under your bump or behind your back. You will use it again for breastfeeding.

• −35 %DoomooSofty nursing pillow, Flower Yellow – Doomoo403 DHinstead of 620 DHView product
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• −9 %DoomooMaxxy XXL pregnancy pillow, Mini Leaves Green, small green leaf print – Doomoo901 DHinstead of 990 DHView product
• The whole aisle · Pregnancy and nursing pillows20 products online, delivered anywhere in Morocco.Open the aisle

Products sold by La Maison du Bébé, publisher of this magazine. Prices as of 12 October 2026; please check the product page.

Talking to each other, without taboos

The Mieux vivre guide sets a simple rule: sex can carry on without any problem as long as it respects each person’s needs, discomforts and limits. That means talking. Saying “I want you, but not tonight”, “this position hurts” or “I’m scared for the baby” is better than silences that settle in.

When desire is not there, tenderness has its full place. The Mayo Clinic suggests cuddles, kisses and massages. A back or foot massage at the end of the day is a simple way to stay close.

After the birth, getting back to sex raises other questions, from healing to contraception, not forgetting the nfissa, the forty days after childbirth traditionally observed in Morocco. We have a dedicated article: resuming your sex life after baby.