How many sex scenes are allowed in a novel which *isn’t* erotica? Is there a limit?

I hope this question isn’t breaking any rules. I’m hoping you lovely folks can help me!

No spoilers for Game of Thrones or Banshee tv shows, but using those as an example, they have a tonne of pretty graphic sex scenes. Either show could have ditched those all together and the stories would have been the same but the whole vibe of the show would change.

My novel is like this, it’s not about sex in any way, I’m struggling myself to define it but it’s mostly science fiction. I could easily not have one sex scene and yet, something would be missing.

It wouldn’t be obvious to anyone but myself but it wouldn’t feel like it made the same impact if that makes sense?

For example the way I use sex scenes is not for the sake of having them but to show important things about my characters. For example one of the main characters discovering his sexuality and exploring that. I have no intent whilst writing for readers to be getting off on it, if they do it will be a side effect haha!

The more I write (nearly finished first draft), the more I wonder if the amount of sex scenes I have included would prevent me from being able to seriously publish and whether it would just be automatically considered erotica? I have nothing against erotica but if I daydream about one day having my book in a shop, it’s not in that section. :)

So I’m turning to you lot for advice!

If there is a hard limit on how many scenes you can have before it’s considered erotica please let me know. I have tried searching myself but I haven’t had any luck. Perhaps it’s not the amount of scenes but how graphic you get? I don’t know know. 🤷‍♀️

Thanks to anyone who helps and sorry this was long, I’m tired and my brain isn’t able to be succinct today :)

Excuse any typos my autocorrect goes nuts so if I have missed any sorry!

TLDR; See title :)

Update: Thank you so much for your help everyone! This was something I was slightly stressing about and you have all helped me so much. I love this sub!