Pregnant from pre-cum?

It is possible to become pregnant from a man's pre-ejaculate fluid (pre-cum) under certain circumstances, though the chances are quite low. Pre-cum itself does not contain sperm, however sperm left behind from a previous ejaculation might be an eager stow-away on the pre-ejaculate cargo ship.

When some men are sexually aroused, pre-cum may be visible as a clear liquid at the tip of the penis. Pre-cum is an alkaline fluid released by the Cowper's glands, which are located at the top of a man's urethra, just below the prostate. Pre-cum helps neutralize the urethra's acidity, protecting sperm that will pass through the urethra during ejaculation. After ejaculation, whether by masturbation or sex with a partner, sperm may be left over in the urethra, the tube that semen travels through. Urinating between ejaculations flushes the urethra of these leftover sperm and clears the way for pre-cum. If sperm remain in the urethra from a previous ejaculation, they may be released with pre-cum. During unprotected vaginal sex, this could allow sperm to enter the vagina and possibly fertilize an egg, even if the man were to pull out before ejaculating.

Some people practice withdrawal (aka the "pull out" method) as a form of birth control. During vaginal sex, this involves pulling the penis out of the vagina just before ejaculation. Withdrawal may not always prevent pregnancy, in part because of the small possibility of leftover sperm in pre-cum.Men can urinate before having vaginal sex to ensure that their lingering swimmers wash away; of course, when using withdrawal, the male partner still has to pull out before ejaculating to prevent pregnancy.

Even if pregnancy from pre-cum is not an immediate concern, the risk of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is. Using condoms can help reduce the risk of STI transmission as well as pregnancy.

Can I get pregnant if I have unprotected sex but the man does not ejaculate (cum)?

It’s probably very unlikely that you will get pregnant, but you can’t know for certain. Three small studies found no motile sperm (sperm capable of reaching/fertilizing an egg) in the fluid in a man’s penis before he ejaculates. However, a more recent study found that 41% of subjects produced pre-ejaculatory samples that contained spermatozoa and in 37% a reasonable proportion of the sperm were motile.

So there’s no harm in using emergency contraceptive pills (also called "morning after pills" or "day after pills") to put your mind at ease if you are not sure if your partner ejaculated or you are worried because you had sex without using contraception or your birth control failed. Remember that emergency contraception can’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections, like HIV, which has been found in pre-ejaculatory fluid. If there is even the slightest chance that you might be at risk for sexually transmitted infections, be sure to use a condom.

Can I get pregnant if I have sex without penetration?

Yes, although the risk of getting pregnant in this way is very low. If you want to avoid getting pregnant, you should use contraception.

Getting pregnant

Pregnancy happens when a man’s sperm fertilises a woman’s egg.

During sex, semen is ejaculated from the man’s penis into the woman’s vagina. A man's semen (the liquid produced when he ejaculates or 'comes') contains millions of sperm. One ejaculation can contain more than 300 million sperm.

Millions of sperm are also found in the liquid produced as soon as the penis is erect (before the man ejaculates). This liquid is called pre-ejaculate.

A woman's ovaries release one or more eggs (ovulation) 12-16 days before her next period.

The man’s sperm enter the woman's body through her vagina, then travel through her cervix and womb to the fallopian tubes where an egg is fertilised (conception). The egg can be fertilised by sperm contained in semen or pre-ejaculate.

What if I didn’t have sex?

It’s possible for you to get pregnant without having sexual intercourse (penetration) if, for example:

• sperm get into your vagina, for example, if you or your partner have semen or pre-ejaculate on your fingers and touch your vagina
• your partner ejaculates near your vagina
• your partner’s erect penis comes into contact with your body near your vagina

The risk of getting pregnant in this way is very low because sperm can only live for a short time outside the body. However, if you’re not planning a pregnancy, it’s important to know that it’s possible to get pregnant in this way.

Preventing pregnancy

If you don’t want to get pregnant, you should use contraception. For information about the different methods, see contraception: what’s right for me?

It’s also important to remember that only condoms can protect you against both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If you use a condom, put it on as soon as your partner’s penis is erect, to prevent any sperm from coming into contact with your vagina.

What Are The Chances of Getting Pregnant without Ejaculation?

It is absolutely possible to become pregnant even if a man does not ejaculate, or does not ejaculate during intercourse. The most reliable methods of birth control involve the use of either a contraceptive medication, such as birth control pills, or a barrier, such as a condom.

It is possible for pre-seminal fluid (sometimes called precum) to have sperm in it. While pre-seminal fluid is not produced with sperm in it, if there is sperm in the man’s urethra from a previous ejaculation, the pre-seminal fluid may pick up the sperm and carry it along. If a man urinates after a previous ejaculation but before having sex, it is much less likely that his pre-seminal fluid will have sperm in it.

There are other factors that make “pulling out” a higher risk for becoming pregnant. Trying to avoid getting pregnant without ejaculation relies on the man’s ability to know his own body. He has to be able to tell right away when he is about to ejaculate so that he can withdrawal in time. In addition, using this method for birth control relies on the man’s self-control; he has to be able to stop himself at the very height of passion to make sure that he does not ejaculate.

Using this practice of “pulling out” as a form of birth control is not entirely reliable. Success rates run anywhere from 73 to 96% effectiveness. In contrast, the birth control pill is more than 99% effective, and the condom, when used correctly, is around 99% effective. In general, the withdrawal method is not always the best method of birth control.

If barriers, such as condoms, are not an option, and medication, such as the birth control pill, is not an option, you might consider a combination of withdrawal and the rhythm method. The rhythm method is based on the idea that you won’t have sex when you are fertile. This works best for women who have a regular cycle, and perfectly practice the rhythm method. This method does require constant vigilance, and cooperation of your partner. For religious and other reasons, this is the preferred birth control method for many women. Rhythm, like withdrawal, can be very effective. However, if a woman doesn’t have a menstrual cycle that is constant and predictable, the chances of becoming pregnant increase. The chances of becoming pregnant also increase dramatically if the partners don’t strictly follow the calendar.