Pain with relations postpartum - Nishmat Yoatzot Halacha

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Pain with relations postpartum

June 25, 2013

Question

I'm 5 months postpartum and still have not healed from labor and delivery. My OB says I have scar tissue that is still not healed. She prescribed estrogen cream for me to use. In the meantime, sex is painful, mostly due to sperm, which causes burning. Is there any heter to use a condom or use the withdrawal/pull out method so I can avoid the stinging/burning? Otherwise my only options are to put up with the burning or abstain from sex, until I stop nursing and hopefully my body heals (no idea when this will actually be.) As you can imagine, this is very frustrating and painful.

Thank you very much for your help.

Answer

Mazal tov on the birth of your baby!

We are sorry to hear of your pain with relations. We suggest using a lubricant, which might help reduce the burning sensation from the semen. Another possibility to explore is seeing a urogynecological physiotherapist to see if that helps.

If those measures do not suffice, it would be possible to use a condom with a hole in it at the tip. That would enable sperm to get through, but reduce your exposure to semen.

Please write back with any further questions.