What you need to know about having sex while pregnant.

Look, for everyone who has never been pregnant, we just have one question: Can having sex break the baby?

Can the baby get poked? With… penis? Does it know? Would the baby prefer that you didn’t?

Luckily, Monique Bowley, co-host of Hello Bump asked the question directly to obstetrician Dr Joseph Sgroi. Apparently, “the baby’s not going to feel anything.”

Dr Sgroi used the analogy of a balloon, saying that the uterus protects the baby which sits inside. “The baby is in the balloon,” he explained. “The penis is going nowhere near the baby.”

LISTEN: Monique Bowley and Bec Judd talk to Dr Sgroi about having sex while pregnant on Hello Bump. Post continues below. 

But… WHAT IF THE BALLOON BURST? If sex, you know, perforated the balloon. 

Well, Dr Sgroi says he’s never seen/heard/known of that happening. Mostly because it doesn’t happen. But he did add, “You probably don’t want to be too vigorous about it.”

Dr Sgroi says that there are three scenarios in which you will be advised by your doctor not to have sex while pregnant. The first, is if your waters have broken. “Some women will have their waters break early on in pregnancy,” he explained, and it’s best they refrain from sex. The second, is if the placenta is very low lying. Lastly, if you’re frequently bleeding throughout pregnancy often doctors will encourage you don’t have sex.

Of course, there is a fourth reason. Simply… if you don’t feel like it. That is an perfectly legitimate reason to not do the deed.

Every woman is different throughout pregnancy. For some, sleep deprivation and discomfort will lower their sex drive. For others, pregnancy hormones can cause an enormous upsurge in libido.

The best advice Dr Sgroi has is make sure you're comfortable. Positions like spooning or cowgirl will mean the woman has more control, and doesn't feel like there's any pressure on her stomach.

Oh, and as for sex being able to induce labour? Yeah, that's a myth. Probably made up by someone who just really, really wanted to have sex.

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner Westpac.