The Mechanism Behind Getting Pregnant.
During intercourse about 300 million sperms are deposited in the vagina. Some survive whiles moving to the uterine tubes whiles others are destroyed due to the acidic nature of the vaginal discharge. During the journey to meet the female egg or ovum, the sperms are nourished and matured.
Finally only one sperm will eventually enter the ovum thus the saying ’survival of the fetus’. Neither sperm nor ovum can survive for longer than 2 or 3 days and fertilization is most likely to occur when intercourse takes place not more than 48 hours before or 24hours after ovulation. It therefore follows that conception will take place about 14 days before the next period is due; for regular cycle of 28 days.
During Pregnancy
1st Trimester
Before you realize that conception has taken place you would be around 6 week – 8 weeks pregnant. During this time, your sexual life will still be the same. Mothers who have different or habitual abortions (miscarriages) will be very careful or alert as soon as they miss their menses. If you have had this experience before, it’s better to consult your midwife or doctor as soon as you miss your period to exclude any danger. If the problem is with the cervix, sexual intercourse is stopped entirely. Some mothers are even admitted throughout their pregnancies until they deliver. When cerclage or the cervix is tied due to weak cervix, no sex throughout the pregnancy until it is removed around the 38th week of pregnancy.
With some, drugs and resting would keep the baby safe and sex can be resumed after 3 months of pregnancy when everything has been fine.
2nd Trimester
During this time, sex is enjoyed by both and especially when all dangers have been excluded. Even deep penetration is safe; it should of course be gentle so that it doesn’t cause discomfort. During this time, physical changes like increase in the size of your breasts, genitals becoming bigger and very warm, can actually heighten you and your partner’s interest in sex which in turn leads to an increase in sexual pleasure.
Couples may want to adopt different styles to prevent putting pressure on the woman’s protruding abdomen. By the 20th week of pregnancy, colostrum (the thick yellowish breast milk that protect the baby from infection] starts producing. Sucking of the breast as a form of romancing is normally stopped around this time but fondling is allowed. Stroking, massaging, and others are recommended as some alternative ways of making love instead of full intercourse.
Pregnant women are usually very hot due to the high metabolic rate in their system. This usually prevents them from having sex during hot seasons. Partners should find interesting ways like making love during the early hours where the weather is usually cold, putting on the air conditioners, fans, opening windows to allow fresh air, or encouraging the woman to take a cold bath before the act to help the condition.
3rd Trimester
At this stage, the abdomen is becoming heavy, huge and the mother easily becomes tried. During this time sex is a recommended alternative and natural method of inducing labour. Your partner’s semen contains a hormone called prostaglandin and this is usually used to induce labour in the labour ward. This hormone is in small quantities in the semen and it helps with softening of the cervix and dilatation. When the mothers nipple or clitoris are stimulated, oxytocin is also released’ and stimulation of the lower segment of the uterus during intercourse would be helpful to initiate labour.
This should be done around the 37th week of pregnancy as the baby is fully mature and mothers are usually encouraged to lie down for some few minutes after sex to enable the process to take place.
