Intimacy is at the heart of every successful romantic relationship. Emotional and physical closeness is what makes everything else possible.

There is a time in a couple's life when intimacy is incredibly important, but also can be especially difficult – pregnancy. Exhaustion, physical changes and anxiety about becoming a parent can get in the way of a couple's ability and desire for physical closeness. Though certainly a joyful time in a couple's life, pregnancy is not the easiest time to "keep the spark alive."

Marites Vann is 38 weeks pregnant and counting. An entrepreneur and vice president of a Washington, D.C.-based life coaching and publishing company, Vann works with her husband, Paul, a writer and motivational speaker. "During my pregnancy, each day has been very unpredictable," she says. "One day, I might have pain in the morning or have morning sickness. The first thing I do is inform my husband so he can understand or adjust himself according to my mood. That way we can avoid misunderstandings."

Like many pregnant women, Vann is self-conscious about her weight, and she needs some reassurance about her appearance. Her husband understands, and he makes sure that they talk about it. Now they can even joke about it when Marites borrows one of her 295-pound husband's shirts.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.