Sexual Aspects of Pregnancy

Abstract

AbstractEspecially during the first pregnancy, many changes occur in the woman and in the relationship with her partner. This chapter will describe the wide range of elements influencing sexuality and intimacy in pregnancy, according to the pregnancy trimesters. It will start with the physical changes and continue with psychological issues.Sexual desire can change in different directions and is influenced by physical and psychological factors like fear (for miscarriage, pre-term birth, etc.), changing appearance and sense of self. Both pregnancy and sexual arousal are characterised by hypercongestion of the internal and external genital organs and the breasts. The pregnancy’s physiology can, on the one hand, facilitate sexual arousal. The accumulating effect of sexual arousal and the existing hypercongestion can, on the other hand, cause pain in the breasts and the vulvar area and therefore diminish arousal. In the last trimester of pregnancy, the quality of orgasm can change from clonic contractions to tonic (and can therefore be painful).Moreover, also partners deal with pregnancy and change differently, depending on their personal experiences, earlier quality of this relationship, upbringing and cultural context. The chapter focusses on the couple, not just the woman.This chapter is part of ‘Midwifery and Sexuality’, a Springer Nature open-access textbook for midwives and related healthcare professionals.