Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy with a low lying placenta?

Q: My 26 years old wife had a miscarriage 16 months back. Now, she is pregnant again, into her 20th week of pregnancy. At the end of the second month, she had a low-lying placenta, which is normal now. I just want to know if it is safe to have sex with my wife or not.

A:With a low lying placenta, it is not safe to have coitus, but intimacy can be achieved by other methods too. A repeat scan after 34 weeks will make sure if the placenta is still low lying or not. If it migrates up, as it does in several cases, then there may not be a need for a cesarean, however, if it still remains low and covering the mouth of the uterus, a cesarean maybe needed.