Let’s talk about some of the outrageous, funny and sometimes even logical misconceptions about sex.
In our January Magazine issue we published this and a lot more on topics around sexual and reproductive health….Download here
Womb Shifters
As adults, we might have heard social media banter or friends brag about having a partner whose penis due its size could shift the womb.
The truth remains that to some while having sexual intercourse with one whose penis is of above-average length, a lady might experience some pains during intercourse as the head of the penis hits the cervix, the back of the vagina. A penis, at maximum penetration, can reach the cervix but not the womb. The cervix is too small to be penetrated and can only open during childbirth.
The stimulation that occurs when a penis or sex toy rubs or pushes against the cervix is what some people call womb shifting, to some it is a feeling worth enjoying to others not so much. Bottom-line, the penis does not shift or change the position of the womb.
I have heard or seen friends list things they take to prevent pregnancies before or after having unprotected sex and they include:
Oral Contraceptives
A tablet of Beecham Ampiclox, Small stout mixed with dry gin, Castor seeds, Salt and Water after sex to induce urination, Lemon/Lime and Soda water, Alomo Bitters, Potash (Akaun), Alabukun,Bitter lemon etc.
They have so much confidence in these concoctions because they believe it has been working for them. Several people are misinformed about emergency contraceptives so they rely on unproven emergency contraception.
Ampicillin/cloxacillin (Beecham Ampiclox) is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections of the lungs, ear, nose and throat, urinary tract, digestive tract, and skin. IT DOES NOT FLUSH OUT SPERM and it is quite safe during pregnancy so cannot be used as contraception.
Taking salted water before/after sex cannot prevent conception. It can only increase your chances of having hypertension and can cause harm to the kidney. Salt mixed with water or Sprite does not affect the reproductive system.
Consuming large quantities of alcohol over time may lower one’s chances of becoming pregnant by preventing ovulation and disrupting menstrual cycle but it cannot be used as contraceptive if taken as a shot before/after intercourse.
Yes! Castor seed is currently used as a birth control pill. Taking the seed without the outer coat can be used as a contraceptive for up to 1 year or more. The seeds contain Ricin, a protein which when used in small quantities can be tremendously effective as birth control. However, these seeds with the outer coat have been known to cause a serious stomach upset.
There is more…
The other day, I had a friendly discussion with mama Ifeanyi when she jokingly told me of how a friend introduced her to “Alabukun” to be used as a contraceptive and ever since she has being going “raw” (sex without condoms) with her partner. She went on to insist that it has been working for her and her friends for a long time now. “All these drugs you people buy as contraceptives can destroy your womb” she added.
I thought: “Does mama Ifeanyi know the content of Alabukun?”
Alabukun contains Acetylsalicylic Acid and caffeine which are used for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. Alabukun taken in large doses after sex with soda will not stop conception from taking place. So why does it work for mama Ifeanyi and her friends?? Luck, I guess…but luck does run out!
“Why do you use a condom?” Says the lady at the salon, “when you can take lime or lemon” she continues “and enjoy skin to skin sex”. “You can even buy potash (Akun)” she went on to explain to the group of women in the salon. “Stop stressing yourself over condoms that can cause infection or postinor 2 that can damage your womb”.
This myth has been passed down to many who believe it works for them.
Sex During Pregnancy and Menstruation
For most cultures especially in Igbo land, women who are on their monthly flow do not have sex with their partners because it is believed to be a bad omen. Mainstream religions view a menstruating woman as ‘’unclean’’ and this has further strengthened the negative perception of sex during periods.
Besides the increased risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection, sex during a woman’s period can be an enjoyable experience, messy but enjoyable all the same as the increased blood flow results in a heightened arousal for the female. Like sex at any point in time it is important to practice safe sex and use a condom where necessary.
A while back, I listened to a radio segment where people called in to give their opinions on sexual intercourse and intimacy during pregnancy. I was surprised and most frankly amused by several of the callers. Most callers who didn’t buy into being intimate with a pregnant partner did so majorly because they were afraid of hurting the baby.
It’s an understandable fear but as long as your pregnant partner is comfortable and has a healthy pregnancy (has no complications like early labor, low-lying placenta or any issue as discussed with your doctor), it is perfectly safe and even encouraged to have sex during this period.
You have nothing to fear because the baby is safe and secure in the womb, surrounded by the amniotic fluid. The penis only goes into the vagina during intercourse, the entrance of the womb is protected by a thick mucus plug, hence nothing gets to the baby.
Myth about Certain Sex Positions And Multiple Births
Have you ever heard how some sexual positions result in multiple births?
I have heard people say: ‘’when I get married, I will do more of ‘’doggy’’ style because I want to give birth to twins’’. Along with having twins in your lineage, truth is there are certain sex positions which may result in multiple births. The most common style is the doggy style. While the doggy may be popular among couples who desire multiple births, others swear by the missionary style.
There are no real scientific explanations as to how these positions aid conceiving in multiples. Some studies attribute this to the proximity to the cervix (the entrance to the womb), that these positions have and hence the sperm will travel less distance to fertilize an egg.
Check out Eat, Play, Love (Toys, Food and Condoms) in our January Magazine
Umenaku Judith (B.Pharm UPH)