Is Oral Sex Safe During Pregnancy?

A number of myths revolve around the safety of oral sex during pregnancy. Some people believe one should abstain from all sexual activities during pregnancy up to and until the waters break for the safety and healthy birth of the baby. Some women believe that swallowing semen would induce labour, but there isn't any medical relevance for these beliefs, after all, they are just beliefs not facts. As long as your pregnancy is healthy and does not involve many complications, you can continue to enjoy a fulfilling sex life. But do ensure that you take some precautions during oral sex as it is the best alternative for vaginal sex when you are expecting.

Thought oral sex during pregnancy is not that harmful for your baby, some things need to be taken care of, they are:-

1. Both partners should not be infected with any sexually transmitted diseases, that is, both partners should be HIV negative. Herpes, gonorrhoea and chlamydia are some more STDs which can be transmitted through oral sex, all of which can lead to serious complications like miscarriage, premature birth or even an eye infection which may lead to blindness of the baby.

2. During oral sex, ensure that your partner doesn't blow air into your vagina. One of the air bubbles may block a blood vessel (air embolism) which can create complications for you and your baby. Though this happens very rarely, but prevention is better than cure.

3. Anal sex should be avoided during pregnancy, this is because:

•  There is a possibility of infections getting transmitted from the rectum to vagina.
•  If you have hemorrhoids and if it is bleeding, avoid anal sex as it may cause blood loss which is fatal to you and the baby.
•  Placenta praevia is a condition where you should avoid sex because in this case, sex may cause harm to the placenta, which can eventually lead to bleeding and threaten your pregnancy.

4. Most important of all is healthy communication, not just with a doctor regarding the safety of oral sex during pregnancy, but also with your partner. Do not hesitate to discuss the dos and don'ts before the act.

Yes oral sex is considered safe during pregnancy, but it will do no harm if you take precaution against all possible complications. Safe decisions and healthy communication will be helpful to you and will also be beneficial for your baby.

Consult your gynecologist regarding safety of sex during pregnancy during routine visits, as some patient may have some medical issue, which requires abstinence from sex.

(Dr Ashish Kumar Mittal is a consultant psychiatrist in Columbia Asia hospital and Confidence Clinic Gurgaon)