How to Keep Your Sex Drive Alive During Pregnancy

When I was pregnant with our son, my husband, Rob, got an earful of progressively creative "sorry honey, not tonight" excuses. Among them: "I can't, I have to massage my stretch marks with cod liver oil. My linea negra is showing. I have areolae the size of saucers." (Suffice it to say, they were not my cup of tea.). Rumor has it that some women experience "the best sex ever" during pregnancy, thanks to surging hormones and increased blood flow down below. Sure, there were times over the nine months when I enjoyed a bedroom romp. But typically, doing it was just another item not crossed off my to-do list.

Mine is certainly not an unusual case. In a recent study of 150 pregnant women published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, the researchers found that sexual satisfaction declined as the women's pregnancies progressed. But it's worth overcoming the common hurdles, like exhaustion, awkwardness, and anxiety. "Couples who don't make intimacy a priority now are only going to find more excuses when the baby comes home," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, Ph.D., a sex educator and coauthor of Your Orgasmic Pregnancy. "The happier you are in all aspects of your relationship, including your sex life, the better parent you'll be." Tackling these bedroom issues will allow you and your mate to fully enjoy the pregnancy, and each other.