Is It Safe To Masturbate Late In Pregnancy?

You've washed all of the adorable baby clothes, put together the stroller, and now you're sitting in your room relaxing, enjoying the last few weeks of pregnancy. Your partner is at work, but you can vividly recall how good they looked after they installed the car seat — delicious. But is it safe to masturbate late in pregnancy? Because they won't be home until dinner, and that seems really far away.

This all used to be so routine. You just pulled an image out of your spank bank, made sure your battery-operated buddy was fully charged, and closed your eyes — definitely not thinking of England. But now? Now you're tired, you're nervous, you haven't actually seen your vagina in a few months, and everything feels different.

In fact, it may take longer to achieve orgasm late in your pregnancy, according to an article in The Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, and you may have decreased sexual stamina, too. The idea of a speedier release with your handy dandy not-your-hand vibrator, is very appealing, but it's also a bit fraught with anxiety. Your body really tightens up during the big O, and aren't a whole bunch of chemicals released? Do those chemicals mix with the baby chemicals and make a cocktail of "bring on the baby?" Really, is it safe to masturbate late in pregnancy?

There are a ton of old wives' tales out there about bringing on labor by having sex. The good news is that they're all hogwash. As it turns out, the opposite may be true. The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology noted that sexual activity, be it oral, anal, traditional, solo, or via Skype in a field of gardenias, might actually prevent preterm labor. The study noted that "a decreased risk for preterm delivery was found with recent female orgasm." It was so anti-climactic for a study about climaxes.

While it is generally safe to masturbate late in pregnancy, there are definitely cases where a woman should abstain from any sexual activity in her pregnancy, as the Mayo Clinic suggested — women with placental or cervical issues chiefly among them. Your doctor will tell you this in no uncertain terms, so if you're nervous, just check in with them. But for everyone else? Have fun and remember to charge your devices so they don't quit before you're finished.