Can you get pregnant with lube and does it contain sperm? These are common questions for women who practice interrupted coitus. This method of contraception is not reliable, but under certain conditions it reduces the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
What is male lubricant?
Male lubricant or pre-ejaculate is a transparent substance with a liquid consistency and a whitish tint. It is released from the urethra of the penis when aroused. This adaptive, natural device ensures painless and smooth insertion of the penis into the vagina. With the help of this liquid, friction is reduced and the discomfort that a woman may feel at the very beginning of sexual intercourse is reduced.
The volume of this fluid released during sexual intercourse is small and can vary. On average - from 0. 1 to 5 ml. This parameter is determined by the individual characteristics of the male body. In some cases, the amount of lube is so small that a man may not even notice it. However, it is always released during an erection. For this reason, the logical question arises: is it possible to get pregnant using male lubricant?
What is male lubricant made of?
Male lubricant serves a number of important functions. The most important experts include:
- Elimination of the acidic environment in the urethra, which forms against the background of uric acid residues.
- The alkaline composition of the lubricant destroys acidic compounds in the vagina, which improves the movement of sperm and ejaculate through the woman's genital tract.
The composition of male lubricant has not been fully studied. It is known to be rich in alkaline compounds, which are a type of stabilizers. They take an active part in the coagulation of sperm, which facilitates the fertilization process and the penetration of the ejaculate into the cervix. These are the main functions of the male lubricant.
Does male lubricant contain semen?
The main question that interests women who are just starting sexual intercourse is whether there are sperm in male lubricant. To answer this question, you need to understand where male lubricant comes from. It is secreted at the time of erection and stimulation by Cooper's glands, located in the groin area.
These formations do not communicate with the testicles, where seminal fluid matures. Taking this into account, we can safely say that male lubricant does not contain germ cells, so pregnancy cannot occur with this liquid. Under certain conditions, however, you can become pregnant through a man's lubricant, although such cases are rare and the exception.
Is it possible to get pregnant from a man's lubricant?
Pre-ejaculate contains neither genetic material nor germ cells. When a woman asks whether it is possible to get pregnant from the lubricant secreted by a man, doctors almost always answer "no. " However, doctors cannot completely rule out this possibility.
Studies have shown that some men had individual sperm contained in the secreted lubricant. Their number is so small that in most cases they are not sufficient for fertilization.
Pregnancy through lubrication - in what cases?
Most modern experts claim that you can get pregnant using lubricants under certain conditions. This requires the simultaneous presence of several factors, so conception from pre-ejaculate practically does not occur.
The likelihood of getting pregnant from a man's lubricant increases in the following cases:
- a small amount of sperm remains in the vas deferens from previous intercourse; the remaining sperm are excreted from the urethra along with the pre-ejaculate;
- the day before the man had nocturnal emissions - agitation during sleep;
- The man masturbated before having sexual intercourse.
In these cases, some sperm always remains in the genital tract. Mixed with pre-ejaculate, it can enter the woman's genital tract right at the beginning of sexual intercourse. It is worth noting that this probability is low, and conception also depends on the quality of the male genetic material. However, doctors do not exclude this option, so the question of whether pregnancy is possible from male lubricant is answered positively.
What are the chances of getting pregnant from lube?
Having learned whether it is possible to get pregnant through a man's lubricant, many women are interested in the likelihood of such conception. According to medical observations, almost 20% of married couples used interrupted coitus as a contraceptive method to become parents. An important factor in this regard is the regularity of a woman's menstrual cycle: for pregnancy to occur, sexual intercourse must occur during ovulation, which occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Given these characteristics, it is difficult to answer whether it is possible to get pregnant using lubricants in individual cases.
How do I avoid pregnancy through lubricants?
To ensure that the fluid before ejaculation does not contain sperm, men must adhere to the following rules:
- Toilet the genitals before each sexual intercourse if they are consecutive.
- Avoid coitus interruptus in the middle of a woman's menstrual cycle.
- Use a condom from the start of intercourse.