Does sex really bring on labour?

[tadah6]

Exactly that really.... does sex actually induce labour? Or is it just another old wives tale?

I Gave birth at 34 weeks and I would say it definitely contributed to my labour I went for about a two hour walk that day aswell. Some people are different so I think it just depends on you really

I tried absolutely everything multiple times but he said no!
Booked in for induction yesterday and he decided he'd come on his own 😂
I think a lot is coincidence

This reminds me of being on the post natal ward. A real larger than life Aussie was in the bed next to me talking about having tried to induce labour. She'd said to her partner "I absolutely don't want sex so could you just masturbate over my vagina?"

Apparently semen contains a hormone that is meant to bring on labour. But it only works if you ingest it...

Sex to baby in 24 hours both times here!

I've never heard that sex brings on labour, in my case it wouldn't have because we didn't want sex at that late stage.

Laxatives can bring on labour, midwives used to give castor oil and orange juice but other, natural laxatives, such as senna (which you can use for constipation during pregnancy after three months), are good too.

I took Senokot because I was uncomfortably constipated towards end of pregnancy and swear that brought labour on, only five days early so no problem. I was actually very pleased about it and labour was fairly easy, didn't last too long either.

No 2 weeks late despite sex.

It worked for me! I was overdue and miserable and ready to try anything. Told DH to have sex with me (lucky DH!) and we had to stop before it was over as I was having contractions. Baby less than 4 hours later!

It is true.
There's something in semen (prostaglandins) that softens the cervix.
Prostaglandins are also in the gel the give you during induction...

Also the Oxytocin produced during orgasm can help move things along.

Worked for me too.

Not for me, but was glad we’d had lots of sex because my birth injuries caused a bit of a drought afterwards.

Sex worked with me both times

it’s worth a try if you feel like it but those who say it worked for them don’t know what would have happened if they hadn’t had sex so it’s hard to say on an individual basis

If sex does bring on labour, why do medics say it's ok to have sex throughout pregnancy? Surely an early labour isn't a good thing.

Worked for me. Twice!

Both of mine came the day after sex, and we weren't doing it much by that point!

I just popped in to say exactly what @hiimmumma said.

Spot on.

The prostaglandin in semen is a (much) weaker version of the one they use in hospital to induce labour.

Oxytocin helps the womb contact.

Lots of sex near the due date can help move things along.

Yep, worked for me.
What hiimmumma said.

"Apparently semen contains a hormone that is meant to bring on labour. But it only works if you ingest it..."
This is nonsense and was probably made up by a man wanting a blow job from his heavily pregnant wife The semen has to end up in the vagina not the stomach! Plus it helps for the woman to orgasm because of the oxytocin (as PPs said).

2 of my 3 babies were born after sex seemingly kicked off my labours!
With DC1, my waters broke the second I stepped out of bed after dtd. Baby was born 48 hours later.
With DC2, it all felt a bit weird “down there” during dtd, and I woke up about 6 hours later having regular contractions. Baby was born about 10 hours later.
Tried it to get DC3 on the move, but that baby wasn’t having any of it. Literally nothing helped evict her - and believe me I tried!

Yeah it can do but not everyone, if u have had prem babies they say not to have sex.

Theres also a some studies that say eating dates can help to bring on labour.

Im 37 weeks pregnant and the thought of having sex is awful! However, I may get desperate as the weeks go by!

Not worked for me so far! (39+3)

@Aberfalls 😂😂😂 that made me laugh - I can see myself saying it when i'm due 😂

I had sex 5 days before my due date for the purpose of bringing on labour so it really was about literally about the bang bang haha and felt a dull ache that night and went into labour