Sexuality during pregnancy

Sexuality must be understood as a natural process of the human being, source of pleasure, of physical and psychological well-being. It is a form of expression and communication of the body, which can be expressed from a body touch to the expression of affection. Developing it depends not only on the individual, but on several factors such as knowing and exploring your body, experiencing sex in a broad way, not merely the sexual act itself, but the ways of achieving the pleasure and personal satisfaction of each individual with your own sexuality. It represents a central aspect of the human being from the beginning to the end of life. It must be lived and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and relationships (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 2010).

It is essential to assess the couple's sexual function and present disorders; discuss anatomical and physiological changes during this period of pregnancy; guide which positions make women more comfortable for sexual practice according to gestational age; and the transformations of the body; talk about changes that occur in the female pelvis such as color, secretion, odor, among others; clarify that when there are no contraindications, sexual activity is allowed; assess the presence of depressive symptoms; discuss perineal massage, aiming to reduce trauma in this area in the postpartum period; that all manifestations of affection help the woman to feel confidence in her partner and in herself (VETTORAZZI, 2012).

In the first trimester the pregnant woman may have her sexual appetite diminished by feeling discomfort during the sexual act. In the second trimester, there is an increase in libido, some of them report a desire for masturbation, being able to feel orgasm. The third trimester varies from woman to woman due to physical discomfort, enlarged abdomen, insecurity of the pregnant woman feeling overweight, swollen, ugly, ashamed of her body. You may not feel attractive or feminine, thereby lowering your self-esteem. They go through the conflict of being in a moment culturally considered divine, feeling like a mother and forgetting the role of woman and wife, and at the same time, not liking herself (BRIQUET, 2011).

The deep penetration of the penis must be careful in order to avoid discomfort, a positive fact is reported by pregnant women in the second gestational period, most of them are able to reach orgasm easily. With the stimulation of the breasts, penetration and orgasm causes uterine contractions, but there is no scientific report that harms the fetus or accelerates delivery (VIEIRA et al., 2012).

The sexual act in this period causes insecurity for some pregnant women for fear of miscarriage or of harming the baby, they are unaware that if the pregnancy is progressing normally, sex is not dangerous, on the contrary, orgasm moves and calms the baby, and the fetus is perfectly fine. protected by amniotic fluid and the tightly sealed uterus. The woman must be fully assisted and realize the need to know how she has exercised her sexuality, demystifying taboos that for centuries have interfered in the woman's knowledge about her own body in such a sublime phase of her life.