# Cunnilingus and Pregnancy **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 8, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051 "2004-07-08T01:27:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/1 "2004-07-08T01:27:38Z")
I could swear that **Cecil** did a column saying that this is a “no no,” but I’ve been unable to find it. So is it unsafe, or is this some sort of UL? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/2 "2004-07-08T01:34:08Z")
If sex is safe and healthy, why would that be any different? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/3 "2004-07-08T01:36:35Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If sex is safe and healthy, why would that be any different? I recall something about cunnilingus with pregnant women causing a bends-like disorder in them. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/4 "2004-07-08T01:42:37Z")
Yes, it is _potentially_ dangerous. The fear is of “air embolism”. Look at the end of [this article](http://www.tomarken.com/content/res/articles/2002/vag.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/5 "2004-07-08T01:45:02Z")
And [this](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10755795), too. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/6 "2004-07-08T02:00:35Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > And [this](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10755795), too. :eek: Let us keep in mind that a single case report doth not an association make. Yes, avoid blowing air into a vagina, _especially_ one belonging to a pregnant female! Is this a common sexual technique anyway??? I don’t recall air-filled bladders being a problem for guys getting fellatio. I’m not sure I’d tell my patients to avoid cunnilingus for fear of Strep though (and yes, my current patients should not really be engaging in any sort of sex with anyone, I know!) Clearly, more research is needed. Thanks for the interesting links, **KarlGauss**! ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/7 "2004-07-08T02:09:47Z")
Well now that \*\*Qadgop \*\* has weighed in, I’ll just add my little anecdotal evidence and point out that my OB actually recommended oral sex as a work-around for the fact that my burgeoning belly made maneuvering an extreme difficulty. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/8 "2004-07-08T02:10:49Z")
I hit the wrong button, as usual, and meant to add that this is not in any way meant to guarantee the safety of such an act - just what my doctor happened to feel was okay. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/9 "2004-07-08T02:54:59Z")
Cecil did address this, in the second part of the column [Is taking a hot bath an effective contraceptive?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_210.html) > [@](#): > > This business about blowing air into the vagina is a lot more serious. It definitely can cause embolism and death, particularly if the woman is pregnant. Ten fatalities and one near-miss had been reported in the medical literature as of 1983. During pregnancy the vagina is distended, allowing substantial quantities of air to be introduced. The air enters the bloodstream via the vein sinuses of the intrauterine wall and from there finds its way to the heart and the brain. Collapse is usually immediate, and death can occur within minutes. In the one non-fatal case, proper treatment was delayed in part because the victim’s male partner didn’t tell doctors what had happened until two hours after she was admitted to the hospital. The woman miscarried and, despite treatment in a hyperbaric (high pressure) chamber, suffered permanent brain damage. How likely such things are if the woman is not pregnant is not clear, but if I were you I wouldn’t try it under any circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/10 "2004-07-08T12:31:16Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Yes, avoid blowing air into a vagina, _especially_ one belonging to a pregnant female! Is this a common sexual technique anyway??? The National Lampoon once recommended it, saying you could get the woman to fly around the room like a punctured balloon. :eek: True story: My wife was laughing over this and we brought up the the point that in real life it could cause an embolism. She nodded and said, “That’s how my brother-in-law killed his dog.” I was speechless at the image. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/11 "2004-07-08T12:47:41Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > True story: My wife was laughing over this and we brought up the the point that in real life it could cause an embolism. She nodded and said, "That’s how my brother-in-law killed his dog. Great, now I have to clean my monitor. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@My\_Darn\_Snake\_Legs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/My_Darn_Snake_Legs)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/12 "2004-07-08T15:42:25Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > Great, now I have to clean my monitor. 😃 Me too! Man, that’s a funny woman you got there. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/13 "2004-07-08T16:04:39Z")
What about air getting forced into the vagina during intercourse? I’ve never heard of this causing any problems, and it does happen. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/14 "2004-07-08T16:22:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The National Lampoon once recommended it, saying you could get the woman to fly around the room like a punctured balloon. :eek: Wow–I can’t believe you brought up a reference to a magazine from 32 years ago that I just happened to reread this weekend! ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/15 "2004-07-08T16:36:41Z")
Elderly sex guru Sue Johanssen confirms that cunnilingus is safe for pregnant women, as long as the giver doesn’t purposefully blow air into the genitals of the receiver (it can indeed cause an air embolism). I guess some people like the sensation of air on their nether bits. Same goes for using whipped cream in a can during sex; fine for most places on the body, but stay away from genital openings. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/16 "2004-07-08T16:40:34Z")
Damn! And I just bought a new bicycle pump! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/17 "2004-07-08T17:46:49Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > I don’t recall air-filled bladders being a problem for guys getting fellatio. Only if you have a very naive partner. > [@](#): > > Suck! Suck! Blow is just an expression! ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/18 "2004-07-09T02:39:59Z")
I once read a chapter, in a forensic science textbook, on the subject of “Sex-Related Deaths” by a guy named Joseph C. Rupp, who was the coroner in Corpus Christi, TX and who apparently was considered an expert in the field by _someone._ In the chapter, Rupp talks about things like autoerotic fatalities and does a good job of destroying his own credibility by ranting about the “unnaturalness” of homosexuality, and tops it off by implying that if you find a dead bachelor in a _clean_ apartment, he was probably killed by his gay lover. Even as an undergraduate, I was really surprised something like this ended up in a textbook. Anyway, Rupp the expert says there are a lot of pregnant women who die because their lovers blow air into them during cunnilingus, causing an air embolism. He says that most of the women report an intense tickling sensation right before they drop dead. Bottom line: Be careful eating that pregnant pussy. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/19 "2004-07-09T02:58:08Z")
Reason for a Brazilian wax #77 Although willing to please, Wilbur suffered nose tickle from Mamie’s muff resulting in: **Huh-CHOO** :eek: ---
**Author:** ![TarantulaGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@TarantulaGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TarantulaGirl)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051/20 "2004-07-09T22:44:05Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > What about air getting forced into the vagina during intercourse? I’ve never heard of this causing any problems, and it does happen. I’m with Ruken on this question and would really really appreciate some input! It happens to me occasionally and I can remember of one instance that I had a lot of air “pushed” into me during intercourse, to the point of feeling the pressure and discomfort from it. Technically it sounds like a woman could suffer an air embolism though intercourse. Honestly, this is kinda freaking me out a little! Although during or right after sex is one of the best ways to go, I would like to avoid dying prematurely if possible especially in such a “silly” way. Are there any reported cases of women dying from an air embolism caused by intercourse? TarantulaGirl [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cunnilingus-and-pregnancy/254051.md?page=2)