If there is one topic that is still considered relatively taboo, it's anal sex. That's not to say people aren't having it. Men and women of all sexual orientations partake. But, if you still haven't copped to having anal in your everyday sex life, you're probably going to be too shy to talk to your doctor or friends about doing it while pregnant. As your belly gets bigger, you could be more inclined to try the "back door," but you may be concerned whether anal sex feels different when pregnant.
The first thing you'll need to know is that, according to OB-GYN Dr. Gina Brown, having anal sex when pregnant is safe in most cases. One exception is if you have been diagnosed with placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta covers all or part of your cervix. In this case, anal sex may cause trauma to the placenta which can cause significant bleeding and endanger the pregnancy and your life.
The next exception is if you have hemorrhoids. Brown noted that hemorrhoids tend to become larger as your pregnancy progresses. Having anal sex with irritated or large hemorrhoids can damage the tissue, causing you to lose a considerable amount of blood, which can put both you and your baby at risk. At the very least, hemorrhoids are tender and which may cause anal sex to be significantly more uncomfortable than prior to pregnancy.
Columbia University's Go Ask Alice advice column also suggested that as your baby's head engages more into the pelvis, it can be increasingly more uncomfortable to participate in anal intercourse.
Some couples use numbing creams to make anal sex more comfortable. But New Health Guide noted this can be dangerous, because pain is a good indicator of when things are going wrong, using a numbing cream can mask the senses you need to make sure everything is still OK. It's possible that while using a numbing cream, you can get hurt without even realizing it.
If you typically use enemas before anal sex, you may want to consider using them less frequently, and get doctor approval before using them at all during pregnancy. Go Ask Alice warned that enemas can irritate the anus and intestinal lining and disrupt your body's natural elimination rhythm. If you're pregnant, an enema can even stimulate labor, according to The Bump.
Not all women experience discomfort with anal intercourse during pregnancy. Some moms-to-be truly enjoy it and even prefer it to vaginal sex while pregnant. As long as you're safe, follow doctor's orders, have good communication and hygiene, you may still enjoy anal sex throughout your pregnancy.
