Pregnancy Myths Cleared Up!

Can pregnancy occur if penetration only happens for a few seconds?

Anytime the penis comes into direct contact with the vaginal area, there is the chance of pregnancy. The probability is extremely low, particularly compared to if intercourse with ejaculation took place, but there is still a risk. The transmission of STIs can also happen through any type of skin to skin contact like this.

Can pregnancy occur if a woman and a guy have faux sex or dry sex?

This is when there is no penetration, but there is skin to skin contact of the genital area. Again, anytime the penis and the vaginal area come into contact, there is the slight risk of pregnancy and a risk for STD transmission. All that needs to happen is for seminal fluid to leak inside the
vagina.

Can a woman get pregnant from pre-ejaculation?

Pre-ejaculation is the liquid that seeps out of the penis before ejaculation occurs. This fluid is released from the cowpers gland, located at the top of the urethra. The purpose of this fluid is to reduce the acidity in the urethra and provide lubricant for the sperm that is released once ejaculation occurs. Most men have no control over it and cannot feel it coming out.
There is much conflicting data on whether this fluid contains sperm that can result in pregnancy. Some studies have concluded it does contain sperm and others have concluded it does not. Most sources do agree that without definitive confirmation, other precautions should still be taken to protect from pregnancy and STI transmission. Fore information about pre-ejaculation and the risks of pregnancy read this.

Can pregnancy occur if the woman does not have an orgasm?

Yes, pregnancy can occur even if a woman does not have an orgasm. An orgasm is not related to an egg being available for fertilization.

Can sperm travel through clothing or material?

If the clothing was completely saturated with semen and was in direct contact with a woman’s vagina, there is a very slight chance the sperm could enter the vagina, but this is highly unlikely. No conclusive studies have been found to give a definite answer on this possibility.

Can a woman get pregnant from having sex in water?

If actual intercourse takes place in any type of water, pregnancy is definitely a possibility. This is because intercourse will allow the sperm to be directly deposited in the vaginal area, and the water on the outside of the body would not interfere with this.

Can pregnancy occur if ejaculation takes place in water?

It is not likely that tiny sperm could travel through the vast area of water that would fill a pool, bath tub, or hot tub to reach the vagina and result in pregnancy. If ejaculation occurred in plain warm water, sperm could survive for a few minutes. If ejaculation occurs in very hot water, or water filled with pool chemicals, bubbles or other substances, sperm would not be able to survive for more than a few seconds. Pregnancy occurring from this is very unlikely and in most cases is not possible at all.

Can pregnancy occur from having anal sex?

Pregnancy cannot occur from the act of anal sex, but because the vaginal opening and the anus are very close together, there is the chance that sperm could leak into the vagina and travel to fertilize an egg. However, this is exceptionally unlikely.

Can pregnancy occur from having oral sex?

If genitals do not come in contact with each other, and semen does not enter the vaginal area, there is no chance of pregnancy.

Can ejaculating numerous times lessen the chance of pregnancy occurring?

The number of times ejaculation takes place can decrease the amount of sperm in each ejaculation, but there are still millions of sperm present. Each ejaculation contains about 2-5mL of sperm, and each mL can contain 100,000 million sperm. This means that even in someone who has ejaculated numerous times, the number of sperm can still be as high as 200,000 million. Only one is needed to fertilize an egg.

Is sperm dead once it reaches the air? Does oxygen kill sperm?

No, this is a myth that many people believe in, but it is not true! Once sperm is DRY it is dead and cannot travel to fertilize an egg. Sperm can live for 3-5 days if it is in a warm, moist environment such as the cervix of a woman. Sperm cannot come back to life once it has dried, even if it is re-moistened.

I am wondering about pregnancy, what do I do next?

You may have just discovered that pregnancy is a possibility in your particular circumstance. Don’t panic; as noted above, in most cases the possibilities of pregnancy are extremely rare. Your next step is to begin watching for early pregnancy symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms then you will want to take a pregnancy test. You can take an over the counter test, or you can contact the Association to locate a testing center in your area.
If you are already noticing symptoms or believe you could be pregnant you can take a test.