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Q: Is it okay to have sex or even just foreplay in a pool or bathtub? Is it harmful to a woman?
A: Water creates a wonderful sensation on the skin, and when this is coupled with the stimulation from a lover's touch, there's no more ideal setting for exciting foreplay. Having intercourse underwater can be fun, too, but you must be extra-cautious with your condom use in splish-splash sex situations.
As far as the health of the female anatomy, water play poses no risks. "Sex is totally safe in a tub or pool," says Suzanne Trupin, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecolology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. "Chlorine and the other chemicals used in pools have no health risk that we've found." And what about sex in the sea? "It's fine to get salt water in the vagina," says Miriam Zieman, assistant professor of gynecology at Emory University School of Medicine. However, no matter what type of water you're in, "it can be harder to keep the condom on," warns Dr. Trupin. So make certain that latex stays put by having one of you keep a finger on the bottom of the condom to make sure it's not sliding off. And, adds Dr. Zieman, do not get suntan oil on the condom. "Oil-based products can weaken the condom and lead to breakage."
This columnist has to admit that for years I mistakenly thought salt water acted as an antiseptic of sorts and canceled out the threat of STDs — but I have since learned that that is not true. Luckily, I survived some risky ocean motion without contracting any diseases, but I want to be certain all my readers know that water of any kind does not cancel out the need for condoms.
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