Sex during Pregnancy

Is sex during pregnancy safe?  Should we continue or avoid sex until after we deliver.  Many first time pregnant mothers and fathers have these concerns.  Many have been misinformed of accurate scientific research findings. 

My husbands business partner told him last week that couples shouldn't have sex while pregnant.  Now, this isn't our first pregnancy, so my husband laughed it off.  We are on pregnancy number three and there has never been a pregnancy that we abstained the entire nine months in order to "protect" the baby.  The baby is completely protected inside the mother's womb with amniotic fluid. Your cervix has a mucus plug specifically for the purpose of blocking bacteria and semen from entering the uterus during sexual intercourse.  Also, your vagina stretches during sex.  It naturally creates a gap of several centimeters between the penis and the cervix.  So, there is no danger from making love as the baby grows inside its mother.  All allowing for high levels of intimacy during pregnancy.  Actually, it increases the bond between mother and father establishing an excellent environment the newborn will soon be a part of.    With that said, out sex life always changes during pregnancy as favorite positions begin to become uncomfortable or even painful.  This is especially true with sex during the third trimester.  Experiment and be creative!

According to kidshealth.org, Sex and Pregnancy are completely safe UNLESS the following circumstances arise:

a history or threat of miscarriage

a history of preterm labor (you've previously delivered a baby before 37 weeks) or signs indicating the risk of pre-term labor (such as premature uterine contractions)

unexplained vaginal bleeding, discharge, or cramping

leakage of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the baby)

placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta (the blood-rich structure that nourishes the baby) is down so low that it covers the cervix (the opening of the uterus)

incompetent cervix, a condition in which the cervix is weakened and dilates (opens) prematurely, raising the risk for miscarriage or premature delivery

Most importantly, you should not have sex with a partner whose sexual history is unknown to you or who may have a sexually transmitted disease such as herpes, genital warts, chlamydia or HIV. . If you become infected, the disease may be transmitted to your baby, with potentially dangerous consequences. 

Let me be sure we are clear on this topic. 
In a normal pregnancy with no circumstances being contingent from the list above-
Your baby WILL NOT be deformed if you have sex during pregnancy
Your husbands penis WILL NOT poke the fetus. 
You WILL NOT crush the fetus. 
You WILL NOT affect the child's developmental growth by hearing mom and dad climax into orgasms during pregnancy.
You WILL NOT cause a miscarriage if you have sex during pregnancy

So although nausea may affect a few nights during the first trimester, weight gain may affect a few nights during the second trimester, and preparing for baby's arrival may have you busy during the third trimester.  IT IS COMPLETELY SAFE TO HAVE SEX DURING PREGNANCY!

(pic obtained from http://allwomenstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/7-common-myths-about-birth-control/taking-the-pill-while-pregnant-will-cause-an-abortion_7-common-myths-about-birth-control.jpg)