posted
Hey everyone. I'm sorry if this has been asked recently, but I did some looking around on the site and was confused about conflicting answers. I also read the "Pregnancy Scared?" page before posting. I'm 18 years old and this was one of my first sexual experiences, so I'm a little more nervous than usual.
Now, my question is, what is the risk of pregnancy associated with coming into indirect contact with pre-ejaculate? By that, I mean penis to hand to vagina contact or penis to hand to skin to mouth on vagina contact. Can saliva "reactivate" pre-ejaculate that is dry or rubbed into skin and make it viable enough to cause pregnancy? I had an encounter on Saturday that only included unprotected receptive oral sex for me, fingering and an HJ (not to ejaculation, but long enough to yield pre-ejaculate on my hands). I am unsure if I came in vaginal contact with wet pre-ejaculate from his or my hands. If I did not come into contact with any that was wet, I likely had some that was dry touch my vulva or vagina. My partner also rubbed his bare penis over my vagina, which was covered by a thong and performed unprotected oral on me after I may have had contact with the dry pre-ejaculate. The amount of pre-ejaculate that I noticed in the situation was only a small amount.
I have been researching online and have come across many, many conflicting answers to this question. Some say that there is little to no risk of getting pregnant, while others say that indirect contact poses a significant pregnancy risk. I even spoke with my gynecologist about it yesterday, and she told me that it was difficult to determine just how much risk was present.
Can you shine a light on the truth here? Just how much of a pregnancy risk is it to come into vaginal contact with wet or dry pre-ejaculate if it was not ejaculated directly from the penis onto the vulva or into the vagina, but rather transferred by hands or a mouth? Should I be worried of becoming pregnant? Should I test two weeks after the encounter? I'm very, very scared about the possibility of becoming pregnant to the point where I'm making myself sick, so hopefully I can get some more solid answers here.
posted
As we explain on that page, and on the many pages where we've talked about this with users on the boards and the main site, when there is not DIRECT genital-t-genital contact and/or DIRECT semen-to-your-genitals contact, pregnancy risks are not at all likely.
Sperm cells cannot be "re-activated," and talking about that with pre-ejaculate isn't sound because that's merely a fluid which, all by itself doesn't contain sperm cells, though it can sometimes pick up trace cells on its way out the urethra.
If you keep your online searches to sites like ours, Planned Parenthood and other credible sex education and family planning services, you should not be finding conflicting information. On sites like these, you'll find us all saying the same things.
Moving forward, if you don't want to take STI and pregnancy risks, then what you want to do is consistently use at least barrier methods -- like condoms or dental dams -- for any and all oral, vaginal or anal sex. Doing that covers your bases very effectively when it comes to the majority of ways STIs tend to be transmitted, and then you also can know you're protecting yourself from pregnancy, and worry less about that.
And if things are happening like your partner having his pants off and rubbing his penis on your genital;s in only a thong, it sounds to me like it's time for the two of you to talk about all of this, including about additional methods of birth control as well, besides condoms, if, when you are getting into or close to something like intercourse, you don't feel okay using condoms alone.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63668 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thank you for your quick and helpful response, Heather. I'm glad that I don't need to be too worried about pregnancy in this case.
After the encounter where this took place, my partner and I discussed things and decided to move more slowly, avoiding situations like this until I had a secure birth control method and we were both tested.
Again, thank you for your help. It is a relief to know that pregnancy is unlikely. I'll be sure to read around more on the site to get better educated before another encounter occurs in the future.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Nov 2012
| IP: Logged |
Robin Lee
Volunteer Assistant Director
Member # 90293
posted
I'm glad to hear you and your partner are on the same page with waiting until you both feel comfy and have your safer sex ducks in a row.
If you have any questions about what you read here, please be sure and let us know.
-------------------- Robin Posts: 4608 | From: Washington DC suburbs | Registered: Dec 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi again. I spoke with someone at the Planned Parenthood in my area today and they said that there is a risk of pregnancy with this scenario. Is this consistent with your view?
Posts: 5 | Registered: Nov 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
As we've explained, if and when you are talking about any DIRECT genital-to-genital contact and/or any direct contact between your genitals and semen, then yes, there are possible pregnancy risks.
If you were not talking about either of those things, but someone answering the phone at a Planned Parenthood branch said without those things, you DID have a risk, then no: that would not be consistent with what we advise nor with Planned Parenthood's materials.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63668 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was not referring to either of those things, but rather possible indirect vaginal contact with a small amount of pre-ejaculate, not semen, from a partner's hands. I made it clear that there was no intercourse, semen or direct penis to vagina contact, but I was advised that this is a pregnancy risk and that I should come into the branch for testing approximately 10-14 days after the incident.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Nov 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's not consistent with what we advise, no. And as Heather said it's not consistent with what their materials say on pregnancy risks either.
-------------------- "Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side" ~Anon Posts: 3374 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Jan 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, if someone told you indirect contact with pre-ejaculate posed a likely pregnancy risk, we'd disagree.
But this will happen sometimes, where we don't all have the same approach or opinion. However, since at this point all you can do is wait this out, you basically can either elect to wait on your period and then test if it's late, or go into Planned Parenthood for testing in the time window they gave you if you want.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63668 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's very strange that the info from Planned Parenthood is not correct. Regardless, I understand from your answer that pregnancy is very unlikely. I will most likely test about 14 days after the encounter with an over-the-counter pregnancy test and then go from there.
I am fairly confident at this point with your answer, my memories of the night and the timing of my cycle that pregnancy is not going to be an issue. I am relieved enough with your answer to relax. Regardless, I will still test and be much more careful in the future.
Thank you for all of your help. You have been very comforting and reassuring in the fact that I should not stress.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Nov 2012
| IP: Logged |
Robin Lee
Volunteer Assistant Director
Member # 90293
posted
If you would like to discuss birth control options, just let us know.
-------------------- Robin Posts: 4608 | From: Washington DC suburbs | Registered: Dec 2011
| IP: Logged |
Copyright 1998, 2013 Heather Corinna/Scarleteen
Scarleteen.com: Providing comprehensive sex education online to teens and young adults worldwide since 1998
Information on this site is provided for educational purposes. It is not meant to and cannot substitute for advice or care provided by an in-person medical professional. The information contained herein is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or for prescribing any medication. You should always consult your own healthcare provider if you have a health problem or medical condition.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic