Is it possible to get pregnant from lubricant and does it contain sperm? These are common questions for women dealing with interrupted coitus. This method of contraception is not reliable, but if certain conditions are met, it reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancy.
What is male lube?
Male lubricant or pre-ejaculate is a whitish transparent substance with liquid consistency. During awakening, the penis is separated from the urethra. This adaptive, natural device ensures a painless, smooth insertion of the penis into the vagina. With the help of this liquid, friction is reduced and the discomfort that a woman may experience at the very beginning of 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 volume of lubricant is so small that the man does not even feel its presence. However, it is always released during erection. Therefore, a logical question arises: is it possible to get pregnant from male lubricant?
What is male lube?
Male lubricant performs a number of important functions. Key experts include:
- Elimination of the acidic environment inside the urethra formed against the background of uric acid residues.
- The alkaline content of the lubricant destroys acidic compounds in the vagina, which improves sperm movement and discharge from the female genital tract.
The composition of male lubricant has not been fully studied. It is known to be rich in alkaline compounds, which are a kind of stabilizer. They actively participate in the coagulation of sperm, which facilitates the process of fertilization and the entry of ejaculation into the cervix. These are the main functions of male lubricant.
Does male lube contain seminal fluid?
The main question that interests women who have just started sexual activity is whether there is sperm in male lubricant. To answer that, you need to understand where male lube comes from. It is secreted by Cooper's glands located in the groin during erection and stimulation.
These formations do not communicate with the testicles, where the seminal fluid matures. With this in mind, we can safely say that male lube does not contain germ cells, so pregnancy does not occur from this fluid. But under certain conditions, you can get pregnant from a man's lubricant, but such cases are rare and exceptional.
Can you get pregnant from male lubricant?
There is no genetic material or germ cells in pre-ejaculate, so when a woman asks if it is possible to get pregnant from the lubricant secreted by a man, doctors almost always answer in the negative. However, doctors cannot completely rule out this possibility.
Studies have shown that in some men, the lubricant secreted contains only sperm. Their number is so small that in most cases it is not enough for fertilization.
Pregnancy without lubrication - in what cases?
Most modern experts claim that you can get pregnant from lubricant under certain conditions. This requires the simultaneous presence of several factors, therefore, in practice, conception from pre-ejaculation practically does not occur.
The probability of getting pregnant from male lubricant increases in the following cases:
- a small amount of sperm from the previous intercourse remains in the vas deferens, the remaining sperm is removed from the urethra together with pre-ejaculation;
- the day before, the person had nocturnal emissions - awakening during sleep;
- the man masturbated before intercourse.
In these cases, part of the sperm always remains in the genitals. Mixing with pre-ejaculation, it can enter the female reproductive system at the very beginning of sexual intercourse. It should be noted that this probability is small and conception depends on the quality of male genetic material. But doctors do not exclude this option, so the question of whether it is possible to get pregnant from male lubricant is answered positively.
What are the odds of getting pregnant from lube?
After learning whether it is possible to get pregnant from a man's lubricant, many women are interested in the degree of probability of such a conception. According to medical observations, almost 20% of married couples became parents using abstinence as a method of contraception. An important factor in this regard is the regularity of a woman's menstrual cycle: for pregnancy to occur, intercourse must occur during ovulation, which occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Considering these features, it is difficult to answer whether it is possible to get pregnant from lubricant in a certain situation.
How not to get pregnant from lubricant?
To make sure that the pre-ejaculatory fluid does not contain sperm, men should follow the following rules:
- Before each sexual intercourse, when the genitals follow each other, do the toilet.
- Avoid having sex in the middle of a woman's menstrual cycle.
- Use a condom from the beginning of sexual intercourse.