Many women, when pregnant, are afraid to have sex with their partners, even if there is no clinical contraindication in this regard. Sometimes, if the woman reports pain during the relationship, the caregiver may ask her to stop having sex for a certain period of time to preserve both the mother's and the baby's health, but in general the rule is that women need not stop relating during pregnancy.
Now research from Melbourne, Australia shows that, in addition to the care taken during pregnancy, most women wait around six weeks to return to sexual activity, even after giving birth. Why do these women avoid sex even after having their babies?
One year after the birth of the babies, the survey found a total of 1,507 first-time pregnant women specifically collecting data on their mothers' sex lives.
The results are impressive: around 53% of them said they had resumed some kind of sexual contact after six weeks after delivery. However, 41% said they had waited at least six weeks for vaginal sex after having the baby. Likewise, 24% said they waited eight weeks, while 13% said this was 12 weeks and 16% waited? amazed? about six months before resuming sex normally.
The type of delivery also influences the time to return to sex after the birth of the baby. Caesarean sections, which are more invasive than normal delivery, tend to delay the period of sexual abstinence, but even normal delivery has no guarantees.
In general, if the woman has a cut or laceration in the perineum region? between the vagina and anus? During normal childbirth can also hinder the resumption of sexual activities. These cuts are relatively common and necessary to facilitate the baby's exit.
Only 10% of women will have a normal birth without injury to the perineum, so researcher Ellie Ellie McDonald of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Melbourne points out that “this is useful information for couples to know beforehand. can help lessen feelings of anxiety and guilt for not resuming sexual activity so quickly ?.
Most doctors recommend that women wait between four and six weeks to get back into sex with their partner. Is the period necessary for the uterus to recover from? Damage? suffered during pregnancy and also during childbirth, such as bleeding, dilation and possible injuries. However, as with everything related to health, this recovery also varies from woman to woman, so it is essential to maintain medical monitoring so that you know exactly what would be most appropriate in each case.
Of course, to prevent another pregnancy in a short time, contraceptive methods should be maintained normally, whether condom, pill or others. It is important that the couple talk about the possible problems that childbirth brings to their sex life, so there will be no misunderstandings.
When can I have sex after childbirth – discussion with Dr Tony Bushati (April 2024)
- Relationships, Sex
- 1,230
