A consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Philips Ekpe, has submitted that there is no scientific evidence to support the notion that having sexual intercourse during the later stages of pregnancy can make labour and delivery easier for the women.
Philips, who noted that many women believe that intercourse can induce labour because the human sperm contains prostaglandin, a hormone‐like substance, however said there is no scientific evidence to support this.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the gynecologist, who is a former Secretary General of the Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA), said there are myths that prostaglandin ripens the cervix and helps labour to start which are not backed with scientific evidence.
‘Some people used to think that because there is prostaglandin in sperm probably that will help to cause contraction.
But it has not been proven scientifically. So, it is not true that having sex towards delivery will aid vaginal delivery.
Many women are doing that, that it will aid their delivery, but it is not in any medical textbook.”
It is not recommended that they should have sex so that it will make labour come. No’ Ekpe submitted while noting that women can though have sex for fun during the last stages of their pregnancy but not because they want to induce labour..
‘Vaginal delivery means that there has to be contractions, the pelvic must be adequate, and the baby has to be lying well.
Those things are done by nature and not by anybody. Women don’t have control over vaginal delivery.
Our patients do ask us what they need to do to induce labour, but we normally tell them that when it will come, it will come. Nature has made it so.
Even the one that is lying down and not doing anything, when labour comes, and it is obvious she going to deliver normal, she will deliver normally’ he said.
Dr Ekpe also urged women to ensure that they register for antenatal early and in good hospitals where there are skilled birth attendants-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
