Anal Sex During Pregnancy: The Essential Facts

Vaginal sex during pregnancy is usually safe, but you might still want to mix things up with anal sex while pregnant. It can also be a great outlet if pregnancy hormones have your desire running especially high.

Vaginal sex can sometimes feel uncomfortable during pregnancy. Your body is cycling through major hormonal shifts, your uterus may shift position, and pressure can build as the baby grows — all of which can make vaginal sex less comfortable, and part of why certain sex positions work better during pregnancy.

So anal sex during pregnancy might sound appealing to you and your partner — but is it actually safe?

There are real risks worth knowing about, and it's worth checking with your doctor too. They can tell you whether anal sex is safe for your specific pregnancy. There's no need to feel embarrassed — your doctor has fielded this question plenty of times before, and it's important to be upfront about any concerns.

It May Feel Uncomfortable

Constipation during pregnancy commonly leads to hemorrhoids — swollen veins in the rectum and anus that are painful enough on their own. Anal sex is likely to make that pain worse. If your hemorrhoids are already bleeding, anal sex can intensify that bleeding, and losing too much blood during anal sex while pregnant can put your baby at risk.

It Can Trigger Anal Inflammation

Anal sex carries some risk of anal inflammation, which brings pain, discomfort, and a constant urge to have a bowel movement. This can result from anal trauma during sex, or from sexually transmitted infections.

Hygiene Becomes A Bigger Concern

Anal sex can spread bacterial infection from the anus to the vagina, particularly if vaginal sex follows anal sex. That's worth avoiding at any time, but it matters even more during pregnancy, since a vaginal infection can affect your baby's health. Bacterial vaginosis in particular has been linked to early water breaking or preterm labor.

It Could Put The Placenta At Risk

The placenta plays an essential role, delivering nutrients and oxygen to your baby and clearing away waste. Anal sex can pose a danger to the placenta if you have a condition called placenta previa.

This happens when the placenta covers the cervical opening — the point in the lower uterus that connects to the top of the vagina. Normally, the placenta attaches near the top or sides of the uterus rather than the bottom, as it does with placenta previa.

Learn: Labelled vagina anatomy diagram.

Placenta previa makes anal sex during pregnancy especially risky, since bleeding is already more likely with this condition than in a typical pregnancy. Any bleeding during pregnancy calls for a doctor's attention.

Reducing These Risks

Treat hemorrhoids first: According to the Mayo Clinic, soaking in plain warm water several times a day can help hemorrhoids improve, as can witch hazel pads applied to the area. Avoid sitting for long stretches — lying down is easier on the area, and if you must sit, get up periodically. If constipation is an issue, try eating more fiber, drinking more water, moving more, and asking your doctor about stool softeners.

Lube generously: Whether or not hemorrhoids are a factor, always use lubricant for anal sex. Water-based lubes are the safest choice during pregnancy, since they carry a lower infection risk — you'll likely need to reapply often. Skip anything scented or containing parabens, glycerin, or tingling additives. Oil-based lubricants can throw off your vaginal pH and raise infection risk. Learn more about lube here.

Prevent infection: If vaginal sex might follow anal sex, have your partner wear a condom during the anal portion that he removes before penetrating you vaginally. If he skips the condom during anal and then wants to move to vaginal sex, make sure his penis gets a thorough wash with warm, soapy water — rinsed clean — before he enters you.

Manage anal inflammation: Ask your doctor about medication to ease inflammation symptoms. A sitz bath can also help — sit in about 2 inches of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes, three times a day, then gently pat the area dry with a towel afterward.

Use protection: If you're not in a monogamous relationship and are having any kind of sex, including anal, always have your partner wear a condom. That matters at any time, but during pregnancy, an infection like HIV threatens both you and your baby.

If any of this isn't workable for you, you can still focus attention on your partner instead. You can:

• Perform a rim job
• Massage his prostate
• Try pegging your husband

A Few Anal Sex Tips

The anus is packed with nerve endings, which is exactly why anal sex feels good to so many people (some even reach anal orgasm!) — and your partner will likely enjoy the tightness too (find out why men like anal). Assuming your pregnancy has no complications, here's how to prepare:

• If this is new territory for you, start small — a finger or a small toy like a butt plug. Plenty of people love anal fingering even without wanting full anal sex (though many women genuinely enjoy anal sex too). You might also experiment with anal masturbation first.
• Whatever goes in — finger, toy (including dildos used for strap-on sex with your partner), or penis — make sure it's clean.
• Use plenty of lube.
• Get thoroughly aroused before attempting anal, since an unrelaxed sphincter makes penetration much harder.
• Once aroused, apply lube to his penis and around your anal opening.
• Have him enter slowly, staying attentive to keeping you relaxed so your sphincter doesn't clench — tension is what causes pain. Read this post if anal sex hurts.
• Once he's partway in, have him pause and wait for your go-ahead before continuing — and even then, slow and steady wins.
• Experiment with different positions (check out 28 anal sex positions), like doggy style or sitting on his lap facing away, or lying on your side.
• Speak up whenever you need more lube — chances are you'll reapply several times.

Many of the tips for first-time anal sex apply here too, though pregnancy may not be the ideal moment to try anal for the very first time. Some anal training beforehand might help. Find out more about anal training.

If penetration doesn't feel right yet, rimming alone is a great option — more in this post on rimming. If your partner wants pointers, point him to our guide to eating ass.

Related: How To Prepare For Orgasmic Anal Sex – 14 Vital Steps

Anal sex during pregnancy does carry some genuine risks (though getting pregnant from anal sex isn't one of them), so it's worth discussing with your doctor. With the right precautions in place, though, you should be able to enjoy anal sex safely throughout your pregnancy.

Learn more about the safety of anal sex.

Communicating openly throughout, and having your partner enter slowly, matters a lot here. Not sure how to bring it up? Check out this guide to sexual communication. Take things carefully and focus on enjoying the experience — good lubrication goes a long way toward that.

Taking every precaution to protect both you and your baby means you and your partner can look forward to trying new things sexually together going forward — anal sex included.

November 28, 2020