Checklist: Yes! Yes! Yes! You Can Still Have Sex During Your Third Trimester

Although sex is perfectly safe for women having a healthy pregnancy -- it's totally normal if you'd rather have a root canal than get busy. If you do find yourself raring to go, here are a few things to try:

___ Experiment with new positions. For most gals, the belly-bump factor means that missionary isn't going to work. Try getting on top, have him get behind you (with you on all fours) or get busy from a side-lying position.

___ Relax! Despite what you may have heard, the most recent research shows that having sex late in your pregnancy does not induce labor.

___ Don't freak out if you feel a little crampy afterward. It's normal, since sexual arousal and orgasm can cause short-lived uterine contractions. But if it does't subside after a few hours or increases, give your doctor a call.

___ Try oral sex or sensual touching if you're not up for actual intercourse.

___ Make a post-coital bathroom run. Emptying your bladder right after sex can help reduce your risk of urinary tract infections, which are more common during pregnancy.

___ Of course, you'll want to avoid having sex if your water has broken, because the membrane that protects the baby from infection isn't there anymore. Hey, that's the expert word -- we had to share it. (Obviously, if this happened to you you'd have far more important things on your mind than a roll in the hay).

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

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