When to Abstain From Sex During Pregnancy

Your doctor may advise you not to have sex if you have any of the following types of high-risk pregnancy:

• Risk of miscarriage or history of past miscarriages
• Risk of preterm labor (contractions before 37 weeks of pregnancy), which puts you at risk of delivering a premature baby
• Vaginal bleeding, discharge, or cramping without a known cause
• Ruptured membranes and leakage of fluid from the amniotic sac
• Incompetent cervix (a damaged cervix that has opened too early in pregnancy)
• Placenta previa (the placenta is positioned abnormally low in the uterus, near the cervix)
• Twins, triplets, or other "multiples"

Keep in mind, if your doctor says "no sex," that may include anything that causes sexual arousal and orgasm. For example, nipple stimulation and oral sex would be off limits. If you're at all unsure of what's "allowed" in your case, be sure to ask your doctor.