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Chapter 4 - Does Orgasm Affect Fetal Well-Being?

from Section 1 - General Issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2022

By
Ayelet Dangot ,
Eliane Rozanes  and
Ariel Many
Edited by
Dan Farine  and
Pablo Tobías González
Dan Farine
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Pablo Tobías González
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina de Parla, Madrid
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Summary

The physical and psychological changes a woman undergoes during pregnancy impact various areas of her life, including her sexual life. Sexuality during pregnancy is important, as there is a strong link between sexual satisfaction and overall life satisfaction. Women’s sexual response, classically divided into four stages (excitement/arousal, plateau, orgasm, and resolution), is more complex. Several hormones are involved in sexual arousal, such as oxytocin, β-endorphin, and prolactin. The effect of orgasm during pregnancy has not been well studied and available evidence is lacking. In the absence of evidence of harm, it seems reasonable to conclude that orgasm is safe in pregnancy, at least in low-risk ones.

Keywords

pregnancyorgasmcoitusfetal monitoringpregnancy complications
Type
Chapter
Information
Sex and Pregnancy
From Evidence-Based Medicine to Dr Google
 , pp. 23 - 26
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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