In plain words
The Ferguson reflex is a nerve reflex named after a researcher who studied the uterus in the 1940s. When the cervix is stretched, the body can release . Oxytocin can make the uterus contract more strongly. Some clinicians have pointed to this reflex as one possible reason sex might bring on labor. The evidence for that link is weak. Sex does not start labor in most pregnancies. If you have questions about sex late in pregnancy, ask your provider. They can tell you what is safe for your pregnancy and what signs need a call, such as bleeding, fluid leaking, or regular contractions.
The deeper version
The Ferguson reflex, described by J.K.W. Ferguson (Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1941), is an oxytocin release triggered by mechanical stretch of the cervix and lower uterine segment, contributing to uterine contraction in the . Its application to coitus-induced labor is one of three proposed mechanisms, alongside seminal and orgasm-related oxytocin release. Systematic reviews of sexual activity for , including Cochrane analyses, report no clear effect on the onset of labor in term pregnancy. The reflex is a physiological concept and has not been shown to be a practical method of labor initiation.
Where it comes up
- Sex during pregnancyPregnancy: Your Body
- The stages of labor, plainlyBirth and the First Days
- Pushing and positions for birthGetting Ready for Birth
- Signs labor is startingGetting Ready for Birth
What mothers here say about Ferguson reflex
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Ferguson JKW — A study of the motility of the intact uterus at term. Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1941
- Cochrane Collaboration — Sexual intercourse for induction of labour, systematic review