Semen contains prostaglandins, which can help prepare a woman’s cervix for labor and delivery. This method of labor stimulation can work, but it is not foolproof. Doctors sometimes recommend it, but it is not a reliable method of inducing labor.
The connection between sperm and labor is real, though not foolproof. Sexual intercourse leading to the deposition of sperm inside a pregnant woman can be used as a natural method of inducing labor. It works — sometimes — because semen contains prostaglandins, which are hormones that help prepare a woman’s cervix for labor and delivery. Doctors sometimes apply gel containing these hormones to a woman’s cervix in hopes of encouraging her body to go into labor, but some women also decide to take matters into their own hands by having sex. Some doctors even recommend this tactic, which sometimes works, but sometimes it just provides a distraction for a woman who is eagerly expecting her baby.
People spread a lot of myths about things that can supposedly stimulate labor. The connection between semen and labor, however, is not a myth. This method of labor stimulation actually has a chance of working, because semen contains the same hormones that doctors often use to help prepare a woman’s body for delivery. These prostaglandins work by softening the cervix and making it thinner. Exposure to these hormones alone is sometimes enough to stimulate labor.
When a woman’s cervix is exposed to prostaglandins and begins to soften and thin, the result is often contractions that initiate labor and stimulate the process necessary for childbirth. In some cases, the contractions caused by hormones are stronger than those that occur with labor starting on its own, and may also occur more regularly. This means that a woman may face more discomfort as a result. The good news about sperm and labor, however, is that abnormally strong contractions are less likely to occur when a woman is exposed to prostaglandins in semen than when she is exposed to those in a prepared gel.
While the connection between sperm and labor may result in a natural induction of labor for some women, it is not a reliable method of stimulating labor. Some women may try this method several times and not get close to labor. If so, the expectant mother’s body may not be ready for labor and she may simply have to wait for it to happen on its own. When it’s imperative for a woman to give birth sooner rather than later, doctors may recommend prostaglandin gel to prepare the cervix and a drug called pitocin, which is administered through a woman’s veins and is used to stimulate contractions.
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