Coital activity and premature delivery.

The coital activities of 111 patients who delivered after spontaneous premature labor were compared to a matched group of patients who subsequently delivered at term. The percentage of patients who were sexually active, the mean coital frequency, and the incidence of orgasm with coital activity were not significantly different between the two groups. Coital activity in the group delivering prematurely was significantly greater (p less than 0.05) than that in the group delivering at term only when no apparent reason for premature labor (18 or 111 cases) was evident. This relationship was especially true after the thirty-second week of gestation. Normal coital activity does not result in premature delivery and should not be discouraged during pregnancy in the absence of complications.