An Ob-Gyn Explains Why You May Feel Nauseous After Sex

If your stomach feels unsettled after sex, it's important to get to the bottom of it. Good sexual aftercare can take you so far, but if you notice a persistent sick feeling, there's most likely an underlying reason. "It's never normal to feel nauseous after sex," confirms Lauren Streicher, MD, an ob-gyn and medical director of Northwestern Medicine's Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. That said, it does happen, and there are some common culprits. Ahead, Dr. Streicher shares a few reasons why you may get nauseous after having sex, and when you should consider seeking additional medical care.

Experiencing nausea after sex can happen for a number of reasons, from cervical stimulation to sexual aversion disorder.

The first reason for nausea after sex has to do with the cervix — the gatekeeper between your vaginal canal and your uterus. "Contact with your cervix during sex, or cervical stimulation, can create a vasovagal response in which your blood pressure and pulse drop," Dr. Streicher explains. This can make you feel nauseous or even cause you to pass out. Certain sex positions or deep penetration may exacerbate this cervical stimulation and make your nausea worse. Your cervix also changes throughout your cycle, dropping lower during your period, which may make you more susceptible to nausea after penetrative sex.

You might also feel nauseous if sex is painful, which could be the result of an underlying health condition. "Women with endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease may experience painful intercourse," Dr. Streicher says. Other factors that may play a role in pain-induced nausea include vaginal or cervical infections and fibroids, which are noncancerous growths in the uterus. "If you experience any type of intercourse that is painful, you should see a gynecologist," Dr. Streicher says. Discomfort can also be caused by a lack of foreplay before sex, increasing the likelihood of nausea afterwards.

More rarely, nausea is a symptom of a psychological condition known as sexual aversion disorder. "We don't know how often it occurs in women, but we know that it can stem from past sexual trauma, or being brought up in a very religious atmosphere where sex was 'bad,'" Dr. Streicher explained. The DSM defines sexual aversion disorder as the extreme avoidance of all sexual contact with a partner, causing distress or interpersonal difficulty. Treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or anxiety medication can help, so always discuss any specific concerns with your doctor for the best medical advice.

Emily Shiffer is a freelance writer living in Pennsylvania. She is a former online staffer at Men's Health who currently writes about the latest health and wellness trends for POPSUGAR.