Is It Normal to Bleed After Sex During Early Pregnancy?
After getting a green signal from your doctor, you can continue your sex life during pregnancy. Though it could be a little scary when you start to bleed after sex, there is no need to be panic. Bleeding is quite normal and it does not mean the baby is in danger. Actually, the baby is quite safe in the amniotic sac of the uterus as mucus plug seals the cervix. Sex during pregnancy does not hurt the baby.
However, it is important to know why you bleed after sex during early pregnancy. The most common cause is vaginal blood loss due to high blood supply and the softening of the tissues in the cervix which is generally harmless. You can continue having sex, but you should ensure that nothing would harm your baby.
How to Deal with Bleeding After Sex During Early Pregnancy
1. What You Can Do
The chances of a miscarriage happening due to sex during pregnancy are very less. In case of a history of miscarriages, the doctor will advise to refrain from sex in the first trimester. It is common to feel cramps during or after sex or orgasm, but you should contact your doctor if the pain does not cease after a few minutes or if it persists. A physical examination or ultrasound may also be required. You can visit the ER if you cannot contact your doctor.
2. What Other Mothers Say
Many women face this problem, and the first time this happens, the couple invariably panics. Some experiences shared by women will help you deal with such instances in a better way.
- Case One
1 week after I found out that I was pregnant with my second child, I had spotting. I immediately called up my doctor and he told me to come in to the clinic if it increased by morning. Next morning, I had severe cramps and bled like having a period. Nothing like this had happened in my first pregnancy. I was afraid I was going to lose my baby, so I went to the hospital and got an ultrasound done, which showed that the baby was fine. The problem was that I had a low lying placenta, which caused my bleeding. The bleeding and cramping persisted for a week and then stopped. I am in my 13th week now and don’t have any more problems.
- Case Two
I am 14 weeks in my pregnancy and have had such problems a few times already. My doctor advised me to stop having sex if there is bleeding. Since I was RH negative, I got a Rhogam done for the first time; I am very cautious when things are related with my baby. Every pregnancy is different and shouldn’t be compared. If you have any doubt, you should see the doctor. But don’t stress yourself out if there is no cramping involved.
- Case Three
I experienced spotting when I was 11 weeks pregnant. It had never happened to me before, so I immediately called up the doctor who said it was normal and could be due to increased blood supply and swollen cervix. I had sex after a week, but it happened again. I didn’t have any cramping, and unlike last time, it gradually got lighter and stopped. I did not have sex till my next appointment with the doctor which was after a week.
What Precautions Should I Take Before Having Sex During Pregnancy?
In normal and uncomplicated pregnancies, woman can safely have sex. However, some precautions should be taken to ensure that you and your baby are not harmed in any way.
1. Safe Sex Is the Key
If you are not in a committed relationship or may have more than one partners, or not sure about the status of your partner (multiple partners or intravenous drug abuse), you should use a condom. It will prevent you and your baby from sexually transmitted diseases and infections. These diseases can cause complications in pregnancy and affect the baby.
2. Practice Caution in Oral Sex
When you are receiving oral sex, there are things your partner should never do. Although oral sex is safe in pregnancy, blowing air into the vagina is something that should never be done. It can lead to air embolism which can be fatal to you or the baby.
3. Use Comfortable Sex Position
As you get larger during pregnancy, some of the sex positions may not remain comfortable for you. You should avoid them and let your partner know about it. There are various positions which will be more comfortable for you and your partner should not put unnecessary pressure or weight on you.
4. Be Careful with Anal Sex
Anal sex can cause aggravation of hemorrhoids and lead to blood loss. If the blood loss is high, it may affect the baby as well as you. Anal sex can also lead to risk of infection by transfer of germs and bacteria from rectum to the vagina. Placenta previa condition can be worsened by anal sex. A lot of caution needs to be exercised when indulging in anal sex.
5. Avoid Having Sex If Needed
In certain scenarios, it may not be safe to have sex, such as:
- Excessive vaginal bleeding may lead to–could have chances of preterm labor.
- If you have placenta previa, also known as low lying placenta, partially covering the cervix.
- Ruptured membranes–the sterile barrier is missing, so sex can lead to infections.
- If you are carrying more than one baby and are in your third trimester.
- If you have a history of miscarriage or are at risk to miscarry again.
- If you have an incompetent cervix which means your cervix is not closed tightly and can dilate further.
- If you do not know the relationship status of your partner or if he is into IV drugs.
- If you do not feel right about it.
