If you've hit — or passed — your due date, you may be looking for natural ways to nudge your baby along. What about sex? Will it induce labor if you're full-term? And are there risks to having sex in the last few weeks of pregnancy?
While studies on the topic are limited and conflicting, sex could possibly be your ticket to labor and delivery if your body is ready. Here's what you need to know about whether sex can induce labor.
Does sex induce labor?
While the research is mixed, it's possible that having sex may help move labor along if you're full-term or past-term. Orgasm can cause temporary uterine contractions, which may feel strong and can last for up to half an hour. But it's not just those post-climax contractions that are thought to potentially help induce labor if your body is ready.
Nipple and genital stimulation, as well as orgasm, may increase levels of oxytocin, a hormone your body produces to trigger labor contractions when you're ready to deliver. Oxytocin is also commonly used by doctors in a synthetic form to induce labor.
And if you have a male partner, semen may also play a role. Semen contains prostaglandins, or fatty acids that act like hormones, which are also produced by your uterus to help soften and thin the cervix and support contractions as labor approaches. In fact, medications used by doctors to induce labor, such as misoprostol, contain a synthetic version of prostaglandins that have been shown to help move labor along.[1]
"I had sex at 41+3 and went into labor that night! I definitely think the oxytocin released during sex induced labor!" says What to Expect Community member jsv7871.
"Nipple stimulation did it for me," says another What to Expect Community mom.
But for every woman who credits sex with labor starting is another who didn't go into labor afterward: "It doesn't work. All 3 of my babies were very late, and we were doing it all the time... I had to be induced," says What to Expect Community mom faveyfave23.
Does sex always induce labor?
Although there are reasons to think late-term sex might help induce labor, there just hasn't been enough research to prove that it consistently works.
One small study found that sex did, in fact, induce labor in low-risk women at 41 weeks. However, when the study was repeated a few years later, full-term women who had sex were actually less likely to go into labor. Most studies on the topic have either been inconclusive or found no clear link between sex and the onset of labor.[2]
"40+1 today and it has not helped at all," says What to Expect Community mom 4alexis35. "I got a few contractions here and there afterwards, but nothing consistent."
On the other hand, some women swear by it. "Sex started all three of my labors," says haleyalyse15. "This time, water broke and contractions started 2 hours after intercourse!"
When can sex bring on labor?
Research suggests that for women with uncomplicated pregnancies, sex and orgasm don't trigger labor unless the body is already prepared — meaning you're full-term or past your due date.
"I think it worked for me!" says What to Expect Community mom allisonsoup, who had sex with her husband twice on the day she went into labor at 41 weeks pregnant. "The second time was around 7 pm and labor started at 11:30 pm."
Get more expert advice and daily tips, record your memories, and connect with other moms who are wondering about how to get labor going in the What to Expect app.
Is it risky to have sex in the last weeks of pregnancy?
Worried that sex might induce labor too early — between 32 and 37, 38, or even 39 weeks? Don't be. The contractions after orgasm are common in pregnancy and usually aren't a sign of labor unless your body is ready for it.
If there's a reason you shouldn't have sex during pregnancy — because you're at high risk for preterm labor or have a placenta complication, for example — your practitioner has likely already recommended pelvic rest. In that case, you'll be skipping sex and other activities that might increase pelvic pressure.
But if you still have the urge to get it on and you have the green light from your OB/GYN or midwife, go for it!
"I'm 39+1 and we've had sex three times this weekend with no induction," says What to Expect Community member ChmEGirl. "But it's just fun and romantic and we're trying to enjoy it before we can't."
Can some sex positions induce labor more than others?
There's just no good research showing that any particular sex positions are more likely than others to induce labor. One key factor thought to play a role is orgasm — so choose whatever feels comfortable and pleasurable for you.
That said, some positions may be uncomfortable or impractical late in pregnancy. You'll also want to avoid spending prolonged time flat on your back, which can cause dizziness or reduced blood flow in some pregnant women.[3] (Plus it would take an acrobatic feat to comfortably navigate that baby bump.)
Bottom line: For most women with healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies, sex is safe right up until delivery day — and it's unlikely to trigger labor before your body is truly ready. While sex might help labor start if you're full-term or overdue, it's far from a guaranteed solution. Always check with your provider about what's safe for your specific situation.
“I am 4 for 4 with sex bringing on labor!” says What to Expect Community mom jjor-ap. “Super interested to see if it works with this fifth baby!”
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