MG Asks: Can Precum Get You Pregnant?

It’s an urban legend heard ‘round the globe. The story of the teenagers, the woman down the street, or the last guy in the bar that one fateful night; they didn’t have intercourse, but somehow, they found themselves with a child from a minute or two of “just the tip.” You didn’t believe them, right? Maybe you should have.

We decided to investigate this age-old question and find out once and for all, “Can precum get your pregnant?” You’re about to be surprised by the answer.

What is Precum?

Precum is more accurately known as pre-ejaculate fluid. This is a bodily fluid that is released from the penis during intercourse. Its functions are two-fold: first, it clears out acid in the urethra which is harmful to sperm and second, it helps to lubricate the vagina in preparation for intercourse.

The majority of pre-ejaculate either contains dead sperm or no sperm at all. However, it is possible for small amounts of sperm to exit a man’s reproductive system and sneak its way into precum.

Still think it’s implausible? A Human Fertility study of 27 men found that 11 of them had sperm in their pre-ejaculate. That’s nearly 41% of the men tested for you Math Whizzes out there.

Can Precum Cause Pregnancy?

While it sounds improbable, there are cases where “living sperm” is present in precum and conception is possible. What makes precum riskier still is men have much less control over it than they do when ejaculating during orgasm. It happens without warning, and that means it can happen before you put on a condom.

FYI: You can also contract STIs from precum too.

Precum Preventative

The best way (aside from abstinence, of course) to prevent pregnancy at the erratic explosions of pre-ejaculate is quite simply, put a condom on the second your partner is aroused and will be in the vaginal area. Have a quick, but informative conversation about the truth about precum and pregnancy before engaging in a heavy make-out session, have supplies nearby and then proceed.

A quick note to those who count on prayer-and-pull-out as their preferred method of birth control: coitus interruptus can’t stop precum from making an entrance (in your vagina), and it’s a risky proposition for several other reasons besides. If you aren’t ready to trade in late nights for early morning feedings quite yet, put on a condom. You’ll be glad you played safe!