General Health

Marital relations

All couples want to know about normal marital relationships. The general advice given is that there are no restrictions on these activities at any stage. Intercourse is best avoided at the time when a menstrual period would normally be expected for the first four missed periods. There is a very slight chance that it may precipitate a miscarriage, although the risks are not high.

During pregnancy, the increased hormonal production in the female may have varied physical and emotional effects. Some find their sexual sensations are heightened, and there is an increased desire to make love. In others, there is a reversal of these feelings. They find that the thought of sex is less and less inviting, and some completely “turn off” altogether.

Husbands, I hope, will read this important message. Unfortunately, many unthinking males interpret this as a sudden cessation of affection for them, on the part of their spouses. They do not realize that chemical influences over which they have absolutely no control are the real basic cause, and it has nothing to do with their wives’ true feelings.

Husbands would do best to accept quietly this temporarily altered state of affection, and put it down to the pregnancy, the true cause. In due course, the entire situation will change back to the usual, normal, happy state once more. Making scenes, and acting in a childish fashion over this does nothing to improve the situation. Indeed, it can cause a rift that might easily widen as the pregnancy advances.

Pregnancy is a time of togetherness and pulling together. This applies in sexual matters as well as in all other respects, and both parties should remember this.

Conversely, the wife should not use her feelings and sex as a weapon against her husband. Both should be geared to act as normally and naturally as possible at all times. This way, common sense and warmth and greater affection one for the other will prevail.

Travelling

No restrictions are placed on travel, provided this can be carried out in a leisurely manner without any undue stress or strain being placed on the woman.

However, it is wise to consider the possible implications of long journeys. Undertaking excessively long motor trips, for example, across a continent, possibly including areas where facilities are poor, would not be wise, especially in the later months of pregnancy.

Similarly, embarking on long-haul jet jour­neys in late pregnancy is unwise and fraught with possible difficulties. In recent times in Australia two such women on different journeys suddenly went into labour and had their babies born seven miles up in the sky! As it so happened, doctors and trained sisters were passengers in both instances and were able to deliver the babies safely and without harm. But there was no margin for error, no room for complications.

As every obstetrician knows, a certain percentage of cases are statistically guaranteed to produce complications at delivery. So why tempt fate, why run the risk (to yourself as well as to the infant) by doing foolish, indiscreet things when they are unnecessary? Be sensible, and the chances of risk diminish appreciably.

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GENERAL HEALTH