Precum can it make you pregnant

Can precum cause pregnancy? Precum itself should not contain any sperm and can therefore not cause pregnancy on its own. However, an earlier ejaculation either from sex, masturbation, etc. This sperm can get flushed out by precum aka, the precum would then contain sperm , and together would have a chance to cause pregnancy. Urinating can flush out any leftover sperm in the urethra. If people do this before having sex, then there should be no sperm in the urethra to be flushed out instead by the precum.

While this is how bodies generally work, results of some studies indicate that a percentage of people do unavoidably leak sperm into their precum. Even in cases where sperm does end up in precum, the risk of pregnancy from this does still tend to be low.

More info about withdrawal can be found here: Link. For more info on understanding when someone is at greater risk for pregnancy, check out our post on What is Risk: Link. Pre-cum and semen both exit the body via a tube in the penis known as the urethra. If any sperm cells from a previous ejaculation remain in the urethra, they can get picked up by the pre-cum as it passes through the urethra.

Pre-cum rarely contains sperm and even when it does, it doesn't contain nearly as much semen as sperm does where semen contains millions of sperm, pre-cum contains only a few thousand. The study notes that some people are more likely to have sperm in their pre-cum than others, because some participants' had sperm in all their pre-cum samples whereas some didn't have sperm in any of their samples. Researchers have not been able to pinpoint why some people have sperm in their pre-cum and others don't.

Pre-cum can definitely cause pregnancy if you have unprotected sex around the time of ovulation even if your partner pulls out before they climax, says Ross. In fact, you can even be at risk if you have had unprotected sex in the week leading up to ovulation, because sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to five days.

That's mainly why pulling out, also known as the withdrawal method, isn't a fail-safe method of pregnancy prevention. It's also worth noting that contact with genitalia or pre-ejaculate fluid without a barrier like a condom can put you at risk for sexually transmitted infections STIs as well, even if there's no ejaculation involved. Unlike semen, it can be difficult to realize when pre-cum is released. It is also secreted involuntarily , so you or your partner cannot control when or how much is released.

Several factors play a role in how much is produced, including age, level of arousal, and duration of sexual activity. Some people may not produce any, or just produce a few drops, whereas others may produce quite a bit, all of which are normal. Therefore, Ross recommends using a condom during sex, to prevent the possibility of pregnancy. Urine is naturally acidic, and some of that acidity lingers in the urethra even after urine is passed. Sperm cells are sensitive to pH levels , and the acidity of urine can kill sperm cells.

The alkaline mucus of pre-ejaculate neutralizes the pathway so that sperm can have a safer pathway out.

The second purpose of pre-ejaculate is to serve as lubrication for sexual intercourse. There are actually glands that serve a similar purpose in the vagina, called the Bartholin's glands. The two pea-sized glands sit on either side of the vaginal opening. Bartholin's glands also secrete an alkaline mucus that provides lubrication for intercourse.

There may be living sperm cells in precum. This does not always occur and when it does, there are not very many sperm cells; however, it is still possible.

Though the chances are low, the sperm cells inside of precum could potentially cause pregnancy. However, this assumption is incorrect. Research is not conclusive, but it is currently assumed that some men leak sperm cells into their pre-ejaculatory fluid, and these sperm cells come from the seminal vesicle where they are stored prior to ejaculation.

The odds of getting pregnant from precum are very small. These pregnancies are due to those few sperm cells in precum. If the penis isn't inserted into the vagina, and only the tip of the penis with precum comes into contact with the outside of your the vulva, it's extremely unlikely that precum on the outside of the vagina will lead to pregnancy. However, it is still theoretically possible for pregnancy to occur. You might feel tempted to take a pregnancy test the day after , but this would be too soon.

It takes at least 10 days for an embryo to implant itself into the uterine wall and produce enough of the pregnancy hormone hCG to be detected by even the most sensitive of pregnancy tests. Wait at least two full weeks after sex before taking a pregnancy test. Even better, wait until your period is at least a few days late. Sometimes, people experience pregnancy-like symptoms a few days after sex and worry this means they may be pregnant.

The truth is that you can't know if you're pregnant just by "feeling" pregnant. Also, real pregnancy symptoms won't occur until at least 10 days after conception. You have two options for emergency contraception. This can stay in place and continue to serve as birth control. There are different kinds of morning-after-pills , one you need to take as soon as possible, and another that you can take up to five days after sex. Talk to your gynecologist or visit a Planned Parenthood clinic nearest to you as soon as possible.

You can get pregnant from precum if the penis was placed into the vagina or even theoretically if the tip of the penis with precum came into contact with the outside of the vagina.

Plus, most couples are unable to effectively use the withdrawal method.