Having a baby changes your life forever, and there’s no denying that no matter how much people love their offspring. There’s a reason why protected sex is important: because having a child is that one responsibility you can never back down from (nor should you). But once happens with your sex life after the positive pregnancy test result? Let’s look at some of the DOs and DON’Ts of intercourse while you’re expecting.

OK

Unless you have a very particular condition and your doctor advises you otherwise, sex during pregnancy is absolutely safe and will not affect the baby. Your developing fetus is protected by your uterus’ amniotic fluid, and only placenta problems or preterm labors could put the baby at risk. Even so, take note that plenty of women experience a change in sex drive while they’re expecting. In other words, some experience increased desire, while others don’t feel that comfortable having sex in this scenario.

Another myth is that sex will cause a miscarriage. That’s false because what really causes a miscarriage is a series of problems with the development of the fetus during the pregnancy.

You can have sex in just about any position that you feel comfortable with. As the belly grows, your movement will be restricted, so you might have to experiment with positions that don’t require you to put in too much effort. As long as both partners feel pleasure during sex, then you’re doing nothing wrong. 

It’s also ok to have unprotected sex, as long as your partner doesn’t have any sexually transmitted disease that could put the mother and the baby at risk. 

Not OK

Speaking of condoms, it’s a good idea to use one if you’re having sex with new partners during your pregnancy. 

Even if sex is not medically restricted while expecting, having sex when you’re not in the mood is something that should never happen. It is super important to talk to your partner about your current physical and mental state, but try to keep the intimacy between you at good levels. Men should absolutely understand women who aren’t in the mood, but women should be open to talking to their partners and not leave them feeling left out. 

There are, of course, certain medical problems that could prevent women from having sex with a baby in their bellies, which is why it’s super important to never miss a check-up while pregnant. Some of the problems that determine doctors to restrict sexual intercourse amongst pregnant women include:

• Vaginal bleeding without any evident cause.
• Leaking of amniotic fluids.
• A condition called “placenta previa”, which is characterized by complete or partial coverage of your cervical opening by your placenta.
• A complication called “cervical incompetence”, where the cervix prematurely opens.

But leaving medical complications aside, it’s very important for you and for all other women to understand that just as no two individual is the same, no two pregnancies are identical. You might have friends that completely lost their appetite while expecting, while you’re feeling as horny as ever. Unless your doctor tells you to refrain from intercourse, your sex life shouldn’t be put on hold.