Note: It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to experience some bright red bleeding during intercourse, especially in the first trimester. There’s a lot of swelling in your cervix’s capillaries at this time. When irritated during sex, they burst and release blood. It’s generally nothing to worry about, but you should still mention it to your midwife or doctor.

There are uncommon cases in which you shouldn’t have sex. Your doctor will guide you. She may recommend you refrain from sex if you’re leaking amniotic fluid, at risk for preterm labor, your cervix begins opening prematurely or if you have placenta previa.

If your uterus is in a typical position, there’s no risk of hurting the baby during intercourse. The amniotic fluid protects the baby from impact.

The angle of the vagina, relative to the space in your womb, decreases the probability of direct contact with the fetus. Plus, there’s a mucous plug, which blocks the cervix during pregnancy. Thus, there’s virtually no chance of unintended contact (between what’s in you for nine months and what would be inside you for only nine minutes, give or take).

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The loss of sex drive may not worry a woman as much as how that libido loss affects her relationship with her partner. You may feel bad about not wanting sex, especially knowing your sex life will be on hold for a few weeks after your delivery. So, you may force yourself to have sex when you don’t want to, which is disheartening. Or, you put him off and worry he’ll look elsewhere.

The simplest thing you can do to remedy this situation? Talk to your partner. Silence is a romance killer. Explaining that your back hurts or you’re zapped of energy will do wonders.

Beyond communication, the solution to this sex scenario comes down to adaptation. This is your ability to change your sexual relationship, so it’s not sexual per se. Rather, it’s about increasing the eroticism, passion and sensuality in your relationship.

Making this mutual pact with your partner will go a long way toward keeping your existing bond, while you’re focused on a creating a new one. While you’re at it, appreciate your mate for the little compromises they’re willing to make for your happiness, even if the sex isn’t what you planned.