Is it safe to use sex toys during pregnancy? Sex Educator answers

Pregnancy comes with a lot of questions and a lot of googling. Can I eat this? Is this safe? Can I still do this?! There’s a lot to learn about your changing body and growing baby, and the last thing you need is more stress, so I’m here to answer one of these questions for you. Is it safe to use sex toys during pregnancy? Well, future mummas, I’ve got good news for you!

Masturbation during pregnancy won’t harm your baby and has plenty of benefits for pregnant people.

These include:

Lowering stress levels
Increased endorphin release
Helping you to fall asleep and stay asleep
Easing discomfort and pain – especially pregnancy-related aches
Pleasure-wise, some pregnant people even report experiencing more intense orgasms while pregnant.

So long as you have a low-risk pregnancy and haven’t been advised not to have sex or masturbate by your LMC or healthcare provider, then using sex toys throughout all trimesters is safe. Woo! But you’ll want to be a bit more careful about how you use them.

Be particularly careful about cleaning your toys

During pregnancy, a mucus plug develops to prevent germs and bacteria from reaching the uterus. However, you can still contract infections from bacteria on toys if you don’t clean them properly. Ensure you are cleaning them before and after each use to keep yourself safe.

And remember that you can still get STIs while you are pregnant, so be careful if you are sharing toys with others. If you do want to share, use a condom over the top where possible. And ensure you are properly cleaning your toys with anti-bacterial sex toy cleaner or soap and hot water.

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Only use non-porous toys

The material of your sex toy is so important, especially during pregnancy. Non-porous sex toys are made from materials that don’t have pores, meaning that they can be sterilised when cleaned properly and won’t harbour bacteria inside or on the surface of the toy.

Non-porous toy materials include silicone, glass, metal and ABS plastic.

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Porous materials cannot be sterilised, no matter how well you wash them, so avoid these at all costs. These include toys made of TPE, TPR, rubber or PVC.

Read more: Sex toy material guide

You can still use internal sex toys

So long as you haven’t been told not to, you can still use internal toys while pregnant. That means your classic vibes, dildos, rabbit vibes and dual-stimulation suction toys can stay in rotation. Phew!

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And no, you won’t poke the baby with a sex toy. The fetus grows in the uterus, not in the vagina or the cervix. There is no way that a toy is going to poke, prod or go anywhere near the baby. The same goes for a penis, too, just FYI 😉

Image source: Stanford Medical

However, I do recommend you stick to toys you already know and love. Pregnancy probably isn’t the time to introduce an 8-inch dildo into your masturbation repertoire for the first time, but if it’s something you already use frequently, it should be fine to continue using it.

Your toys might feel different

While pregnant, you might feel more sensitive or experience discomfort in ways you didn’t before. There’s a lot more blood flow to your genitals during pregnancy, as well as a surge of estrogen and progesterone, which can make you feel more sensitive.

This means that your toys might feel different to use. If it’s a vibrating toy, I recommend starting at lower intensity levels than you might normally use, just in case. You can always turn them up higher if you want to.

Because of that extra blood flow, your cervix may be sensitive too, so avoid using toys too deeply if you find things touching your cervix uncomfortable.

Stick to clitoral toys if you find penetration uncomfortable

If you are concerned, stick to clitoral toys! For most people with a vulva, the clitoris is the epicentre of pleasure anyway, so if penetration doesn’t appeal right now, there are plenty of other ways to explore pleasure with clitoral toys like bullet vibes, lay-on massagers, wand vibrators or clitoral pulse toys.

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You can still use lubricant during pregnancy

You can still use lubricant during pregnancy, and you should! This will help to keep your toys gliding nicely without friction, but there are a few ingredients to be wary of.

Glycerin, parabens and fragrances can all be irritating to people with sensitive skin or those who are prone to bacterial vaginosis or UTIs. So, it pays to avoid these ingredients to stay protected. These are commonly found in water-based lubricant, so if you are concerned, stick to silicone lube.

But be aware that silicone lubricant isn’t compatible with low-grade silicone toys, or toys made of TPE or TPR.

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Also, avoid warming or cooling lubricants as the active ingredients might be irritating. And I’d avoid clitoral stimulation products too for the same reason. They might be too intense during pregnancy.

Tread lightly with anal play

It’s common for pregnant people to develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy, and using anal toys can cause irritation as the toy applies pressure. Go slow, listen to your body and only do what feels comfortable. And if you are going to play with the butt, use lots and lots of lube!

Be careful with BDSM and bondage play

During pregnancy, your body produces a reproductive hormone called relaxin, which loosens and relaxes your muscles, joints and ligaments. This is great for the birth! But... not so good during pregnancy as it can allow you to overstretch, causing injury or sprains.

Be careful with anything that is going to stretch or pull on your body, such as rope, cuffs or position enhancers that restrict movement.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using sex toys during pregnancy

You might not be able to see what is going on down there. As your bump grows, your genitals are going to get harder to see and harder to reach.
Play with the settings on the toy beforehand and memorise the buttons if possible so that you can change the settings or turn it on or off without having to see them.
If you like to have eyes on the situation rather than going on feeling alone, doing it in front of a mirror might be helpful too.

When should you be concerned about sex toy use during pregnancy?

It’s common to experience cramping or light spotting after orgasm, but if you have bad cramping that won’t go away or bleeding like a period, contact your doctor.
If you are experiencing uterine contractions or prolonged pain during or after sex toy use.
If you notice any water leaking, that might be amniotic fluid.
Talk to your LMC if you have been advised to go on pelvic rest.
Talk to your LMC if you have placenta previa, which is a partial or complete cover of the cervix with the placenta.
Talk to your LMC if pre-term labour is a risk, as vaginal penetration from a toy or having an orgasm may trigger labour.

If you have any of these symptoms or conditions, you need to discuss them with your doctor, LMC, or midwife, who can advise you on whether it’s safe to continue using sex toys or not.

Having an orgasm may make you feel crampy afterwards, especially as your pregnancy progresses. It may feel like period cramps or even cause an increase in Braxton Hicks. This is normally harmless and temporary. However, if the cramps continue or become painful, make sure you talk to your doctor or LMC right away.

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Content disclaimer:

Adulttoymegastore does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for illness. Any information published on this website, either by Adulttoymegastore or its authors, is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a medical professional.