semen and dilation

JocelynMcC · December 2011

I just read somewhere that semen has something in it that can cause dilation? I've never thought twice about this before, but I'm a worry wart lately. Was wondering if you'd have to be pretty near your due date for this to affect anything. Obviously since I'm pregnant, I haven't been worried about using any protection. Don't flame as this is a serious question, lol.

KellyAnne&CHris · December 2011

I went to yoga Thurs night and the doula said this was a good way to get labor started faster when you are close to the end (she said if you wanted to avoid being induced this could help!)

Bonidiebabe · December 2011

Great question!!!! I have been having lots of sex with no pullling out and no early labor so far. I am curious to hear what someone more experienced has to say.

Wipz · December 2011

my hubby is going to be one sorry ass, tired, sexed out dude then... because I seriously do not want to be drug induced (and my OB has already hinted at it) hahaha.

If this baby is coming early.. he is coming the fun way .. lotsa sex and nipple stimulation.

Link41208 · December 2011

My husband swears that is what put me in labor with DS!

biblionerd · December 2011

No amount of sex/semen, yoga, etc. will put you into labor until your body is ready.

JocelynMcC · December 2011

Leah&Jack:
You're only at 24 weeks. At this point semen will NOT make you go into labor.

Yes

J&JSuiter070205 · December 2011

Semen has something in it that is the same as what is used in induction meds. If you have sex at 32 weeks and your body isn't ready it will obviously do nothing, but if you're close to labor I am proof it works... I was exactly 39 weeks with my daughter and felt fine all day, NOTHING out of the norm. DH and I had sex around 8:00pm. At 10:00 I started having timeable pain that went from my back to my front. I took a warm bath and by 11:00 we headed to the hospital. My daughter was born 10 hours later.

vanvoorhis-101 · December 2011

Semen doesn't really cause dilation. It just softens the cervix making dilation easier and sometimes faster. So when you are full term and approaching labor having a soft cervix is helpful. But semen by itself isn't going to cause your cervix to dilate prematurely.

jmgcoggins · December 2011

It only helps when your cervix is favorable for it to help. And your cervix doesn't become remotely favorable (in a normal [not high risk] pregnancy) until the last month.

You have nothing to worry about.

tiannalee · December 2011

Semen does NOT cause or induce labor no matter how many people tell you they are proof of it. The idea of it came about because semen contains prostaglandins and prostaglandins are a type of ligand in the body that increase dramatically during actual labor to assist with muscle contractions. However, there are many many different types of prostaglandins and the ones contained in semen sole purpose is to cause a small type of contraction to assist sperm in their swim up to the egg. It does NOT cause the type of contractions required for childbirth nor does it participate in dilation of the uterus.

Wipz · December 2011

tiannalee:
Semen does NOT cause or induce labor no matter how many people tell you they are proof of it. The idea of it came about because semen contains prostaglandins and prostaglandins are a type of ligand in the body that increase dramatically during actual labor to assist with muscle contractions. However, there are many many different types of prostaglandins and the ones contained in semen sole purpose is to cause a small type of contraction to assist sperm in their swim up to the egg. It does NOT cause the type of contractions required for childbirth nor does it participate in dilation of the uterus.

well damned .. that bust my bubble.... but shhh don't tell hubby that ....I still plan to molest him anyway lol

allisonmarie22 · December 2011

vanvoorhis-101:
Semen doesn't really cause dilation. It just softens the cervix making dilation easier and sometimes faster. So when you are full term and approaching labor having a soft cervix is helpful. But semen by itself isn't going to cause your cervix to dilate prematurely.

This.

gisa886 · December 2011

biblionerd:
No amount of sex/semen, yoga, etc. will put you into labor until your body is ready.

Thank you! People told me to walk induce labor with Hazel. Didn't work. Neither did spicy food. Your baby will come when he/she is ready

Jessimurph · December 2011

biblionerd:
No amount of sex/semen, yoga, etc. will put you into labor until your body is ready.

This. I plan on having as much sex as possible 36 weeks on. Based on experience it will not be that much sex, but as much as I'm able to handle. I was so big and uncomfortable last time. Also, approaching my husband with "let's get this going, honey" is not really sexy

Sawyerplus1 · December 2011

vanvoorhis-101:
Semen doesn't really cause dilation. It just softens the cervix making dilation easier and sometimes faster. So when you are full term and approaching labor having a soft cervix is helpful. But semen by itself isn't going to cause your cervix to dilate prematurely.

Exactly. Same with eating pineapple or using Evening Primrose Oil. It helps soften the cervix, so dilation can occur, but wont cause problems if your body isn't ready. Have some faith in how your body works; people have been having sex while pregnant since the dawn of time.

sstrom22 · December 2011

Wipz:
my hubby is going to be one sorry ass, tired, sexed out dude then... because I seriously do not want to be drug induced (and my OB has already hinted at it) hahaha.

If this baby is coming early.. he is coming the fun way .. lotsa sex and nipple stimulation.

Ha ha!!

Wipz · December 2011

sstrom22:

Wipz:
my hubby is going to be one sorry ass, tired, sexed out dude then... because I seriously do not want to be drug induced (and my OB has already hinted at it) hahaha.

If this baby is coming early.. he is coming the fun way .. lotsa sex and nipple stimulation.

Ha ha!!

I didn't marry a younger man for nuthin Wink

marielovestimothy03 · December 2011

Leah&Jack:
You're only at 24 weeks. At this point semen will NOT make you go into labor.

This. It only works when your body is ready for it. DH and I had lots of sex at the end of both my pregnancies and I still went over 39 weeks each time.

kstopforth · December 2011

Hope this helps!

https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/babys-coming-when

kjg5445 · December 2011

vanvoorhis-101:
Semen doesn't really cause dilation. It just softens the cervix making dilation easier and sometimes faster. So when you are full term and approaching labor having a soft cervix is helpful. But semen by itself isn't going to cause your cervix to dilate prematurely.

this exactly.

aocain02@yahoo.com · December 2011

At my 40 week appointment my OB suggestead sex and walking to help bring on labor. Semen works to soften your cervix. DH wouldn't touch me with a 10 foot pole at that point so I couldn't tell you anything about it.

tiannalee · December 2011

"Semen works to soften your cervix"

Please note that there is absolutely NO PROOF of this statement. As stated previously, prostaglandins are known to help with labor however, the prostaglandins in semen have never been proven to help. There are very few studies into this and the few that you can find have proven to be inconclusive. You can google it and a hundred different pregnancy message forums will pop up with everyone from midwives to other bumpers making this claim but try to find any actual medical proof of it and you wont find it anywhere. There is simply no way to prove that semen would help since it is not completely known what causes the body to be ready for labor at any point in time of a pregnancy. Any claims by women that sex resulted in labor cannot be proven to be anything other than a happy coincidence.

I tell you this just for factual statement since a lot of people seem so keen to make this claim. That being said, it also hasn't been disproven either so, when you are 40 weeks pregnant and actually still want to have sex, then you should definitely go for it. Wink

BitsKD13 · December 2011

A while back on the 1st tri board (or my BMB, I'm not sure it could have been 2nd tri too) there was a girl who did have something going on after having sex (spotting and cramping if I remember correctly). The doctor determined it had something to with her husbands semen. It was one of those things that's not common at all but does happen from time to time. She thought it meant no more sex (she was worried about relying on pulling out in time) till I reminded her that condoms were still an option. *

Unless you are having problems that only occur after sex I don't think you have anything to worry about.

* Sorry to be so vague. I have some serious baby brain and don't feel like looking through my old posts.

dojo1 · December 2011

This post calls for a "Dude, seriously?"

For thousands of years women have been doing it while pregnant and without any barrier. Get a grip.

ETA: I'm sorry, I'm in a bad mood. Your post didn't call for me to be so snippy. I retract the words that I used to say what I said, but still stand by the point of "no need to worry."

Lina1030 · December 2011

Link41208:
My husband swears that is what put me in labor with DS!

My OB suggested it too (I was 5 days late...we did not do that...breaking my membrane worked) BUT the semen releases prostoglandins that rippen, soften which can help dialate the cervix.

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