Can You Get Pregnant From Pre-Cum?

If you are in a physical relationship with your partner, you might want to know how you can prevent or plan pregnancy. Depending on what level you want your relationship to be at a particular stage, you may want to have a baby now or postpone it.

While there are many ways to have safe sex using medical devices and products, many couples still opt for the natural way. If you have heard of the word ‘precum’ and wanted to know more, or if you would like to find out more about this natural concept in preventing pregnancy, do read on.

What Is Pre-Cum?

Pre-cum is the pre-ejaculatory fluid that generally does not contain any sperm, and hence does not have the risk of making you pregnant. It is a fluid that is made in the male’s Cowper’s glands. The Cowper’s glands are two glands that are small in size and are located in the male’s urinary or reproductive tract. The pre-cum helps balance or neutralize the acidic reaction in the male urethra. As a result, it helps to provide a safe path for the sperm that will in future travel through that same route during ejaculation after intercourse.

In case of most males, the pre-cum fluid is clear in texture and can usually be seen at the tip of the penis when the male is sexually aroused.

However, even though it is considered a safe way to prevent any pregnancy, health educators often warn against considering it as a fool-proof method. They warn that in some cases, pre-cum may contain some amount of sperm that may lead to an unplanned pregnancy.

Can Pre-Cum Contain Some Sperm?

Whether or not pre-cum contains sperm is a topic that gets a lot of differing answers from different health educators. Some health experts feel that pre-cum may contain some amount of sperm that can make it potentially dangerous as it could lead to an unplanned pregnancy. However, others feel that pre-cum does not and cannot contain any amount of sperm and hence cannot lead to pregnancy in any way.

Theory- Pre-Cum Does Contain Sperm:

In theory, it is believed that pre-cum may contain some leftover sperm that may be present in the male’s urethra from the time of the last ejaculation. It could be an ejaculation that happened the same day, the earlier day, or even in the same session of sex. As a result there are chances that in case there is some sperm left over from the previous time and the man releases the pre-cum from the Cowper’s gland again it could get mixed up with the sperm. As a result, the sperm will then travel with the pre-cum to the tip of the man’s penis when he gets aroused during sex and may enter his partner’s body. If the man is not wearing a condom, the pre-cum, along with the sperm, could enter the woman’s body and lead to an unplanned pregnancy.

Theory- Pre-Cum Does Not Contain Sperm:

The other and entirely opposing thought about the presence of sperm in the pre-cum is that it is extremely rare to find any trace of sperm in a pre-cum. Though it does not mean that sperm cannot ever be present in a pre-cum, it mainly means that it is extremely rare and is not a more typical occurrence.

If the male has not had any sexual intercourse before the particular day and has not ejaculated, there are very less chances that there will be any traces of sperm left over in the urethra that can mix with the pre-cum. It is also true that even as the male did not have any ejaculation, he did pass urine, which also helped to clear out any leftover traces of sperm from the urethra.

Myths About Pulling Out Before Finally Ejaculating:

Of course you may have heard that if your male partner pulls out just before he ejaculates, it can be a great natural way to avoid pregnancy. However, as most health experts will also vouch for, simply pulling out while having sex is not a guaranteed method that you will be able to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. Here are a few myths about pulling out that you may have heard and that you should know the facts on:

1. Pull Out Before You Ejaculate To Avoid Pregnancy:

It is truly one of the biggest myths you may ever have heard in relation to getting pregnant or avoiding getting pregnant. Even if your male partner pulls out his penis each time before he is about to ejaculate, there is no guarantee that you will not get pregnant. While your partner may be extremely conscious and careful, it is not always possible to pull out at a time when there is absolutely no ejaculation at all. Sometimes, your partner may start to ejaculate even before he realizes about it. When that happens, he may not realize the actual time that he should pull out, thus complicating matters and making it more likely that you will get pregnant.

2. Pre-Cum Is Extremely Safe As It Does Not Contain Any Amount Of Sperm:

As mentioned earlier, there are varying theories that are attached to whether or not a pre-cum is absolutely safe and whether or not it does have any trace of sperm that may be left over. According to the two theories that abound, in some cases there may be a chance of some sperm being left over in the pre-cum, while at other times it can be completely free of any sperm. As a result it is not right to say that a pre-cum is extremely safe and will not cause pregnancy.

Tips To Follow The Pull Out And Pre-Cum Method While Having Sex:

It is absolutely okay if you and your partner do want to go ahead and try the pull out method while having sex and want to rely on the apparent safe way of going the pre-cum way. If both of you want to try out the same, here are a few tips you should both keep in mind before doing so:

1. Try It A Few Times Before Doing It Without A Condom:

Before you and your partner decide to have sexual intercourse without a condom, make sure you try the pull out method while your partner is wearing the condom. It will help your partner understand when he needs to actually pull out and how much time he will have to make sure that no ejaculation happens while he is still inside you.

The first one or two times may be especially difficult, so do try it out at least a few more times to see if the pull out method will actually work for you and your partner or not.

In case you feel that it is not working or if you are not absolutely sure about it, you should look at other methods of preventing a pregnancy. Some of the more common and effective methods are using a condom while having sexual intercourse as well as having the pill.

2. Pulling Out Can Still Lead To Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs):

Your partner and you may find the perfect timing when he has to pull out, and it can work well for you to prevent a pregnancy.

However, it is important to remember that having sexual intercourse when your partner is not wearing a condom can also lead to a number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

3. Discuss A Follow Up Plan Of Action In Case Of An Accident:

Both you and your partner should be aware that simply pulling out while having sexual intercourse is not a fool proof method of preventing a pregnancy. In order to be on the same level and know what the other partner is thinking of or the way they will react later, it is important that you talk about some follow up plans in advance. Speak to your partner and ask them about what they plan to do in case you do end up getting pregnant.

Tell your partner about how you think you will react if it does turn out to be a case of an accidental pregnancy. Talk about things such as whether or not you will like to continue forward with the pregnancy, how it can affect or strengthen your relationship, whether or not you two will marry each other if you do get pregnant, what are the chances of carrying on with single parenthood if you do want to go ahead with the pregnancy, whether you want to have your baby and give it up for adoption later, if you do want to keep your baby with you what is the kind of support that you will need and get.

You may get pregnant without planning for it, but it is important that you and your partner both discuss the consequences in advance if in case it does happen. Also, when you both know what the other partner wants and thinks about an unplanned pregnancy, you will both be able to come to a mutual decision about whether you want to try the pull-out method or rather go for a safe and conventional method that can prevent a pregnancy.

4. Keep Emergency Protection Handy:

Even if you and your partner have decided that you do want to go ahead and try the pull out method while having sexual intercourse, keeping some emergency backups is a good idea.

Always carry some condoms as well as a contraceptive pill that you can have till after a few hours after having sexual intercourse.

It is possible that you did try the pull out method while having sexual intercourse but for some reason there was an accident and your partner could not pull out of you in time. At such times, you should be able to immediately clean up yourself as well as have a contraception pill that can minimize your risk of getting pregnant accidentally.

5. Keep A Track Of Your Monthly Menstrual Cycle:

If you want to avoid any chances of an unwanted pregnancy, it is extremely important to be sure about your monthly menstrual cycle. Make it a point that you know the dates when you had your last period.

It is possible that you are not always able to keep a track of your monthly menstrual dates. If you think that you often miss out on remembering the same, you can try and use some phone apps that will help you note down the dates and refer to the same.

Speak with your doctor to understand the dates on which you are the most fertile. Your doctor will calculate the same based on your monthly menstrual periods. Once you know the dates, make sure you also ask your partner to wear a condom, even if you are trying out the pulling out method while having sexual intercourse.

The best way to prevent a pregnancy is to always use a condom while having sex and to make sure that you also take a contraceptive pill that will help to double your chances of protection. Your doctor will be the best person to guide you about what method will work best for you. However, just using the pre-cum method while having sex is not guarantee enough that you will not suffer an unwanted pregnancy and there are enough chances that it may lead to an accidental pregnancy.

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