Pregnancy can affect most parts of a woman’s body. Changes are constantly happening within 9 months and even after. Sex drive is no exception, and hormones are usually the reason for most of these changes. An increased level of estrogen and progesterone, as well as an increase in blood flow to the genitals, can lead to elevated sexual desire, while nausea, fatigue, stress, and many other physical changes during pregnancy can reduce a woman’s desire to have sex. No scientific studies have yet to prove that the level of sexual desire during pregnancy could determine the gender of the baby.
How pregnancy changes your sex drive
First trimester
This period is the first surge of changes in a pregnant woman’s body.
After the embryo implants in the uterus wall, cells in the placenta start producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This hormone stimulates the production of other hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.
The sudden increase in these hormones is the reason for some of the most challenging symptoms during pregnancy.
These include nausea, fatigue, tender breast, digestive issues, and stress, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to have less or no sexual drive around this phase of pregnancy.
With that said, it is also important to note that every pregnancy is different, so even if most might decrease their interest in sex, others might feel the opposite.
Second Trimester
As the levels of hCG start to decrease starting at week 6 of pregnancy, you will feel more energized by the time the second trimester comes around.
The stress and nausea will also start to drop, making most women’s libidos spike during this phase of the pregnancy.
You might feel a little uncomfortable at first, but trying different positions could easily solve that problem. Estrogen and progesterone levels will continuously increase to support your baby’s growth.
The increased estrogen level could improve both vaginal lubrication and blood flow to the vulva, enhancing both the quality and frequency of sex, and increased arousal, sensitivity, and pleasure.
Third Trimester
During the last stretch of pregnancy, your sexual desires will halt because of the increasing physical, mental, and emotional challenges.
Your baby bump is almost at its maximum size, and it will cause multiple effects on the body.
Your back will start to ache, making sleep more difficult because it is hard to find a comfortable position. It can also get much harder to move, and even getting dressed is impossible for some.
The anxiety about the upcoming delivery is also not helping. The number of things to be ready for, like the newborn essentials, the labor process, and the recovery stage for you and your baby.
It’s almost like the loss of sexual desire at this stage is inevitable, especially during a time when most of your focus and priority is directed toward your baby.
5 ways to deal with a low sex drive during pregnancy
- Open communication – It’s important to keep your communication with your partner during these changing times for both of you to feel heard and understood, especially in the stages when it is confusing, and the challenges of pregnancy are starting to kick in. If you and your partner understand what is happening, resentment could be avoided when your libido is low.
- Stay well rested – Get as much sleep as possible; it would take a lot of energy to grow a baby in your body, and all the hormonal changes will also drain you. If you are trying to keep the sex drive alive during your pregnancy, you and your partner will need to make extra efforts to make things work.
- Focus on you – No, you are not being selfish. It will bring more promising results than you think. Prioritizing your own needs means you will be in the best shape to provide for your family’s needs. Filling your cup first will benefit not only you but your baby as well as everyone around you. I am saying that you should completely disregard your partner’s desires. What I mean is you don’t have to do it if you don’t feel comfortable enough, and you don’t need to compromise your feelings to satisfy your partner.
- Try other intimate activities – Intimate doesn’t always have to be sex. You and your partner could feel intimate by doing things like a massage or a romantic dinner. Pregnancy is also the perfect time to explore new grounds you have never tried before and keep the intimacy alive by being intentional and putting in the effort to deal with constant changes in your sex drive during pregnancy.
- Try other sexual positions – Keep up with the changes and try different sexual positions with your partner. It might surprise you how it could change your dynamics as partners too. Sometimes it’s not a problem with low libido but the uncomfortable position, which is not exactly working with a growing bump or constantly thinking that it might hurt your baby. Having sex during pregnancy is considered safe by doctors unless you are going through a sensitive pregnancy and your healthcare provider advises you against having sexual contact.
FAQs
What are the signs if you are having a boy or a girl?
There are no scientific “signs” to be sure what gender your baby will be.
There are ways to identify the baby’s gender, like having an ultrasound with your doctor, but you have to wait for the baby to be at least 18 to 21 weeks.
Is it normal to have no interest in sex during pregnancy?
This is perfectly normal, and most pregnant women are experiencing this.
Hormones constantly fluctuate throughout the pregnancy, which could cause physical and mental challenges, which would explain the lack of desire for sex.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best advice is to enjoy this journey, and if there are changes that are hard to deal with, you should communicate them to your partner openly.
It is also worth noting that accepting where your body is at during pregnancy is such a beautiful thing. You are not fat or thin, you are pregnant.
