Orgasmic coitus triggered stillbirth via placental abruption: A case report

Abstract

Sexual activity during healthy pregnancy is safe. There are little data on how coital activity affects outcome of the high-risk pregnancies. Hereby we report a case demonstrating that orgasmic coitus triggered placental abruption resulting in preterm stillbirth.

A 38-year-old 8-para, 12-gravida woman lived unmarriedly with a constant partner in low socioeconomic conditions. Her previous pregnancies included 7 deliveries without complication, two early miscarriages and two pregnancy terminations. Her present pregnancy was complicated with gestational hypertension successfully treated with nifedipine. She had coitus 2 to 4 times a month, mostly without orgasm. The last coitus which happened in side-by-side position was accompanied by orgasm which continued in uterine hypertonicity and massive vaginal bleeding at 29 weeks gestation. Two hours subsequently, on admission to hospital, placental abruption and fetal demise were diagnosed. At the emergency cesarean section, a dead female infant weighing 1,510 g was born. Fetal pathology was not discovered. Placental histopathology showed retroplacental hematoma, intervillous and decidual hemorrhages, focal distal villous hypoplasia and avascular villuses. Patient’s recovery rapidly occurred after intensive care.

Placental abruption complicates 0.4% - 1.0% of deliveries. It is known that most cases of abruption cannot be predicted and prevented. Our report suggests that orgasmic coitus may be a trigger for placental abruption in those women who have gestational hypertension and multiple risks for placental abruption. We infer from the above case that sexual intercourse is advised to avoid during pregnancy of such women in order to prevent placental abruption.