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Increased sex drive during pregnancy

One of the more welcome symptoms of pregnancy, many women experience an increased sex drive during pregnancy.

What causes it?

Hormones, of course! The elevated levels of certain hormones like progesterone and estrogen in your body during pregnancy may be the most likely culprits for an increase in sex drive during pregnancy. In addition to hormones raising your sex drive, the increased blood flow to help support Baby also increases blood flow to the vulva, which can enhance sexual pleasure felt during pregnancy.

Tips?

Live it up! Besides thinking about something completely unappealing, there's not much advice we can give you in the way of reducing your sex drive. In most pregnancies, though, sex is perfectly safe and healthy throughout pregnancy. Certain pregnancy-related complications can mean sex isn't safe during pregnancy, but in the absence of these, if you're in the mood, get to it!


Reviewed by Dr. Jamie Lo
Sources
  • Mayo Clinic Staff. "Sex during pregnancy: What's OK, what's not." MayoClinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Jul 2015. Web. Accessed 6/28/17. Available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/sex-during-pregnancy/art-20045318. 
  • "Sex during pregnancy." MarchofDimes. March of Dimes Foundation, Jun 2015. Web. Accessed 6/28/17. Available at http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/sex-during-pregnancy.aspx. 
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