History Main / NoPreggerSex

* There actually are a handful of conditions in which a physician would advise a pregnant woman to abstain from sex--placenta previa (a condition in which the placenta implants over the cervical opening and can cause massive, possibly fatal bleedy), anything that puts her at risk of miscarriage, etc.

* Averted on several soap operas. Especially noteworthy is that there was no drawn-out discussion about safety or comfort, etc. beforehand.

** Christian and Gina also try having sex at one point, with great difficulty due to the large, hard baby belly between them. It's a rare [[CrowningMomentOfFunny light scene]] in their ridiculously melodramatic relationship.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' averts this both by implication, with [[spoiler: Pepper]] telling [[spoiler: Tony]] she's pregnant, then intending on announcing it to the rest of the Avengers before they get around to celebration sex, and by [[spoiler: Tony]] stating after coming back from his assumed death, he and the heavily pregnant (7 months along at least) [[spoiler: Pepper]] are going to have a ''lot'' of GladToBeAliveSex. Pepper seems to be more than amenable to this.

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' features Drs Cox and Kelso telling Turk that pregnancy sex is "a freakshow", because the fetus has hands and ''will try to grab any invaders''. Justified in that they're just trying to freak him out.

Historical characters may have a different viewpoint. Before roughly the late 18th century not much was known about fetal development; in early modern England, for instance, it was commonly believed that women didn't menstruate during pregnancy because the fetus grew by feeding on her menstrual fluid. Sex during pregnancy was thought to harm the baby by contaminating the fluid with semen, but in addition was also thought to harm the ''man'' by exposing him to the ‘unclean’ fluid. A character in Elizabethan England will likely care more about protecting himself than ‘bumping the baby’.

* Averted in the 2015 film ''Film/HowToPlanAnOrgyInASmallTown'': The participants in the awkward "orgy" include the overdue Anna and her husband Seth, who came to the party for the express purpose of using sexual stimulation to induce labor, explaining that they need outside "assistance" because Seth is exhausted from all their previous attempts. While Anna is having sex on top of Adam, Adam gets slightly [[{{Squick}} squicked]] out when he feels the baby kick. Suddenly, Anna's water breaks, but she's [[{{AllWomenAreLustful}} enjoying herself too much to stop]], insisting that she still has plenty of time before the actual birth (averting InstantBirthJustAddWater). The other guests have to physically lift her off of Adam and take Anna to the hospital.

In most media, it's fairly unusual to see a pregnant woman implied as having sex during her pregnancy, even if this is a show which otherwise is fairly frank and open about human sexuality. It's a bit of an odd taboo, but it's one that can clearly be traced back to one cultural belief which writers often impart.

Supposedly, someway, somehow, the man's genitalia could prod the unborn and the pressure could cause permanent damage. The kid could grow up with a misshapen limb, or worse. Not to mention genital-to-fetus contact just sounds... [[{{Squick}} wrong]], [[ParentalIncest especially if it's your kid]].

[[AnatomicallyImpossibleSex For various reasons this idea is, well, ridiculous]]. The fact of the matter is that the womb and the vagina are very far away from each other anatomically and even [[GagPenis the biggest penis in the world]] isn't going to broach the divide. Not to mention that the two are separated by the cervix, which is not wide enough to admit said massive penis. Even if it ''did'', there is a pretty strong membrane over the womb, designed to hold several pounds of the baby and the amniotic fluid. (Of course there is. Otherwise, what's keeping it in?) It's almost like nature's trying to stop things getting in, or something.

Ironically, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy#Sexual_activity_during_pregnancy it turns out]] that sex during pregnancy is actually ''recommended'' by doctors to reduce hypertension. However, there are circumstances (such as risk for premature labor) when a doctor might advise a pregnant woman to forgo some or all sexual activities. Additionally, some doctors recommend that a woman refrain from giving oral sex (or at least "[[Franchise/MassEffect ingesting]]") because of the possibility that certain protein compounds (prostaglandins) in semen may induce labor.

For others, especially men in fiction, the issue isn't a physical one, but an emotional one. Since [[ChildrenAreInnocent babies are seen as pure and innocent creatures]], and [[SexIsEvil sex can be considered sinful or dirty]], and the collision of these two feelings leave some men uncomfortable about the idea of a sweet little baby being ''right there,'' and it can create feelings that they're being "watched" or at the very least, feeling like they're corrupting the baby, similar to how some men can be uncomfortable having sex in a room where family photos or dolls are staring at them.

Granted, a lot of people don't bother to think this through that much. Besides, steamy sex scenes are usually pure FanService in the first place, and let's face it: sex scenes featuring pregnant women have a niche appeal at best.

[[AnatomicallyImpossibleSex For various reasons this idea is, well, ridiculous]]. The fact of the matter is that the womb and the vagina are very far away from each other anatomically and [[GagPenis the biggest penis in the world]] isn't going to broach the divide. Not to mention that the two are separated by the cervix, which is not wide enough to admit said massive penis. Even if it ''did'', there is a pretty strong membrane over the womb, designed to hold several pounds of the baby and the amniotic fluid. (Of course there is. Otherwise, what's keeping it in?) It's almost like nature's trying to stop things getting in, or something.

* In ''Film/KnockedUp'', Seth Rogen's character has this fear in the middle of doing the deed, much to his girlfriend's disappointment. That didn't stop him from multiple attempts, of course...

* The BillMurray film ''St. Vincent'' averts this trope, as the pregnant character is a prostitute, and Vincent (Murray's character) is one of the few men willing to continue using her services.

* Averted in ''Series/TheLWord'', where Joyce Wischnia is perfectly OK with boinking Tina. Of course, viewers are more likely to give this one a pass due to the [[GirlOnGirlIsHot lesbian angle]].

* In ''Series/TheTudors'' this happens frequently, owing to the medical beliefs at the time. (''Any'' form of exhertion was believed to be a threat to the baby.) It is, in fact, one of the reasons that Henry frequently has affairs, ofttimes finding his next wife whilst the previous one is pregnant.

* In Season 4 of ''Series/Vikings'', Gisla, who is pregnant with [[spoiler:Rollo's]] child tells him in no uncertain terms that sex whilst she is in her 'sacred condition' is not going to happen. [[spoiler:Rollo]], who possesses none of her religious hang-ups, is both confused and disappointed, though he nonetheless respects her wishes.

[[YouFailSexEdForever For various reasons this idea is, well, ridiculous]]. The fact of the matter is that the womb and the vagina are very far away from each other anatomically and [[GagPenis the biggest penis in the world]] isn't going to broach the divide. Not to mention that the two are separated by the cervix, which is not wide enough to admit said massive penis. Even if it ''did'', there is a pretty strong membrane over the womb, designed to hold several pounds of the baby and the amniotic fluid. (Of course there is. Otherwise, what's keeping it in?) It's almost like nature's trying to stop things getting in, or something.

--> "At one point, the instructor told us, '''"Now, after your wife's water breaks, do not have sex."'''. I raised my hand. I said ''"Is this really a problem?!"'' That's a sensitive husband, ain't it? '''"So, uh...just how far apart are the contractions there, sweet thing? Seems like a shame to waste this semi-private room."''' See, and they wouldn't tell you that unless somebody had '''done''' it, that's what bothers me."

* In ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'', Bojack has a drug-induced fantasy where he ran away with Charlotte to Maine instead of becoming mired in Los Angeles. When he discovers that he's going to be a father, one of his first questions is to ask how it will affect their sex life, suggesting that they should probably stick with "hand and mouth stuff" for the next nine months, just to be on the safe side.

For others, especially men in fiction, the issue isn't a physical one, but an emotional one. Since babies are seen as pure and innocent creatures, and sex can be considered sinful or dirty, and the collision of these two feelings leave some men uncomfortable about the idea of a sweet little baby being ''right there,'' and it can create feelings that they're being "watched" or at the very least, feeling like they're corrupting the baby, similar to how some men can be uncomfortable having sex in a room where family photos or dolls are staring at them.

For various reasons this idea is, well, ridiculous. The fact of the matter is that the womb and the vagina are very far away from each other anatomically and [[GagPenis the biggest penis in the world]] isn't going to broach the divide. Not to mention that the two are separated by the cervix, which is not wide enough to admit said massive penis. Even if it ''did'', there is a pretty strong membrane over the womb, designed to hold several pounds of the baby and the amniotic fluid. (Of course there is. Otherwise, what's keeping it in?) It's almost like nature's trying to stop things getting in, or something.

* This trope is implied to have been averted in the Hungarian dubbing of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'', where, in one of the more infamous translation choices, Maes Hughes brags about his wife becoming a "goddess in bed" thanks to her pregnancy.

* One MisterSeahorse fic had one...how do we put this...pregnant father buggering the not-pregnant father. Pegging aside it's a tad unusual for this trope, though not actually an inversion.

* In ''TheLeastICouldDo'', Rayne asks a pregnant coworker about this when she alludes to still having an active sex life. He worries that an unusually large member could damage the child. Cue imagine spot with a doctor holding a baby with a large dent on its head.