The Pregnancy Orgasm

The "Big O" during pregnancy.

When you’re expecting, the “Big O” can be so intense you might find it unnerving. Orgasm, and sometimes also intercourse, should be avoided if you have any risk factors for preterm labor or certain other pregnancy complications. And you shouldn’t have sex if your water has broken. Otherwise, going at it poses no dangers to you or your baby, says Stacey Rees, a certified nurse-midwife at Clementine Midwifery in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

Pregnancy coach and fitness trainer Danielle Cavallucci, co-author with sex educator Yvonne K. Fulbright, Ph.D., of 2008’s Your Orgasmic Pregnancy: Little Sex Secrets Every Hot Mama Should Know, explains below why some women experience their first-ever or even multiple orgasms during pregnancy.

Q: Why are orgasms often more intense during pregnancy?

A : Your entire genital and pelvic regions, including your uterus, are more engorged with blood, and the vaginal area becomes more sensitive. Any kind of stimulation, including mere fantasy, can often be enough to push an “engorged” preggo over the edge.

Q: Are there any harmful effects on the fetus?

A: No. In fact, it might even feel like a little massage!

Q: Are orgasms ever less intense?

A: Yes. Often in the third trimester your uterus can’t fully contract during an orgasm because of the size of the baby. You may be extremely stimulated but unable to have a full-on climax.

Q: Why does the pregnant belly get so hard during orgasm?

A: The abdominal muscles contract as they normally would, but it’s more evident because your belly’s extended.