Is Anal Sex Safe When TTC and During Pregnancy?

Q: Is anal sex safe when we try to conceive (TTC) and during pregnancy?

A: Anal intercourse is defined as insertion of the penis into the rectum through the anus. If he only ejaculates inside the rectum, there is no chance that you will get pregnant.

There is no evidence to suggest that anal intercourse is unsafe in pregnancy. But there is also no evidence that it is safe. Your first question should be: Is there anything unusual about my pregnancy that increases my risks? Your doctor can usually tell you whether there are any specific contraindications in your pregnancy that suggest you should not have anal intercourse.

There is, however, evidence that anal intercourse increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections, so you may want to use a condom all the time during anal intercourse. In addition, in order to prevent carrying an infection from the rectum into the vagina, the penis should never be inserted into the vagina after anal intercourse without washing the penis first with soap.