Advice

Does it have to go in deep to result in pregnancy?

2 min read • first published • updated • 271,375 views
tina

I would like to know if shallow penetration can get one pregnant, or does only deep penetration make one pregnant?

Susie Tang

No, the penis⁠ does not have to go far into the vaginal canal to result in pregnancy⁠. There have been cases where pregnancies resulted without any insertion of a penis into a vaginal canal. All that needs to happen is sperm⁠ must get to the ovum⁠ (egg). Simply spilling fertile semen⁠ on the vulva⁠ can be enough to allow sperm to enter the person’s body. Once the sperm get inside, they can make their way up through the uterus⁠ and Fallopian tubes toward the ovum, and thus conception⁠!

Therefore, if you intend to prevent pregnancy, the male needs to keep his penis covered with a condom⁠ during ALL genital contact. Pre-ejaculatory fluid can contain sperm, too, so it is important to keep all sexual⁠ fluids from exchanging during sexual play.

For more info, please read:

Similar articles and advice

Article

From OW! to WOW! Demystifying Painful Intercourse

  • Heather Corinna

At least once every couple of days, someone posts or writes into Scarleteen reporting that vaginal entry – usually intercourse or manual vaginal sex, and usually (but not always) with cisgender male partners – is painful, uncomfortable, or unfulfilling for them. Whatever sort of vaginal entry we’re talking about – with fingers, a penis or a dildo, with partners of any gender – not only doesn’t have to be painful, it really shouldn’t be. More than that, any kind of sex shouldn’t be about a lack of pain, but about the presence of pleasure.