What is pre-ejaculation? Is it sperm or not? Can you start from it? Is the risk high? Are there other things besides pregnancy? Let's talk about everything in order.
What is pre-ejaculation?
Pre-ejaculate, he is pre-seminal fluid, he is also pre-semen, he is also Cooper's fluid - this is a transparent secret that is released from the penis in a state of sexual stimulation. Cooper's gland and Littre's gland, located near the urethra, the same tube through which sperm and urine exit the male body, are believed to produce pre-semen.
Amin Gerati, MD, a urologist at Johns Hopkins University, explains that pre-cum prepares the urethra for the passage of semen. The fact is that urine creates an acidic environment, which is very unfriendly for sperm. Preseminal fluid is needed to neutralize residual acidity and make a safe passage for the seed. In general, consider the precum as the artist's opening for the show's headliner.
Wait, so is there any sperm in the presemen?
No, they don't live there. But the source of that little problem can stay in the urethra if your partner ejaculates before sex—especially if he doesn't urinate afterward. And if all the stars align, Cooper's fluid can carry live sperm into your vagina just fine.
"Usually this is not enough, " said Dr. Geraghty. "The chance of pregnancy from pre-cum is very low, but it is never zero. "
There is not as much research on this topic as we would like. In 2013, the journal Human Fertility published the results of one of them: scientists tested 40 pre-ejaculate samples provided by 27 men. Live spermatozoa were found in the semen of 41% of the participants. True, you can't call them first class: only 37% are mobile enough to make the trip to the womb.
The authors of the study stated that all but one of the "samples" contained up to 23 million spermatozoa. Sounds ominous, but it's not really a number to be afraid of. In 2010, the WHO examined the semen of 1, 953 men who had a pregnant woman during the past year, and only 2. 5% of these men had less than 23 million sperm in their semen.
And why are we talking about pre-ejaculation?
The pre-sperm issue is usually raised in connection with the interruption method (aka coitus interruptus - just like the name of the dinosaur, right? ), which couples often use for contraception. It consists in the fact that a man pulls his penis out of the vagina just before ejaculation to minimize the risk of pregnancy.
As you might guess, this is not the most effective protection method: its reliability is only 78% with "normal" (not ideal) performance. And it certainly doesn't protect against STDs. But precum cannot be blamed for the dubious "do-it-yourself" method: there is no study that can answer the question of when pregnancy occurs as a result of pre-semen, and when - because of sperm, a drop that nevertheless ends. up into the vagina due to male negligence.
So, the problem is not that pre-semen contains a lot of sperm that you can get pregnant. The bottom line is that it is very difficult to use the distraction method perfectly. If you're worried about two lines, choose a condom that has a 2% failure rate. Also, make sure your partner wears a condom before his penis is in your vagina.
If you are going to have a breakdown, then remember: it takes confidence in the lover. Do you know for sure that he is in control and will always follow the rules you have set together? Discuss emergency contraceptives: do not forget that they are more expensive than condoms, and if distraction is chosen from economy, then you can get into trouble.
And, of course, there are STDs. If you've both been tested and haven't had unprotected sex with other people, then you've done everything you can to avoid the disease. But if these two things are not met, it must be taken into account: without barrier contraception, it is very easy to take something unpleasant.
And infection occurs regardless of ejaculation. For example, gonorrhea and chlamydia often have discharge from the genital tract that can transmit the infection, and for some STDs, skin-to-skin contact is sufficient. Condoms will not protect against the latter, but they help reduce the number of contacts.
Well, let's summarize. Precum is a pretty interesting thing that has a purpose. Science still can't confidently answer the question of how big the risk of getting pregnant because of him is, but that's okay. The bottom line is that if you rely on distraction methods and don't use condoms, you're putting yourself at risk for pregnancy and STDs. If this thought scares you, then discuss it with your doctor: he will help you choose the means of protection that best suits your lifestyle.