Ways You Probably Won’t Get Pregnant When Having Sex
How hard is it to get pregnant? The chances of conception depend on various circumstances, ranging from your menstrual cycle to your birth control. Here, experts share the scenarios where you’re least likely to conceive.
Many women spend the better part of their fertile years actively trying not to get pregnant, so it might be a surprise to learn that conception isn’t that easy. Indeed, there’s a relatively short window during a woman’s cycle that’s ideal for conceiving, whether or not she’s on birth control or actively trying, says Anate Brauer, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist at the Greenwich Fertility and IVF Centers and assistant professor of OB-GYN at NYU School of Medicine.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, a healthy 30-year-old has a 20 percent chance of pregnancy each month with frequent unprotected sex. Of course, every woman is different, and you should always use protection if you’re not trying to conceive. But if you’re wondering which occasions make for the least likely opportunity, check out these expert-stamped scenarios where your chances of pregnancy are lowest.
Can I Get Pregnant If I Have Anal Sex
My boyfriend wants to have anal sex without a condom. Can I get pregnant? Lauren*
Getting pregnant through anal sex is unlikely. In theory, it’s possible that it could happen if semen from the anus gets into the vagina.
With anal sex, sexually transmitted diseases are a much bigger worry than pregnancy. The risk of getting an STD like HIV is even higher with anal sex than vaginal sex. That’s because the lining of the rectum is thin and can tear easily, allowing infection to get into your body.
If you decide to have anal sex, use a condom every time. Because there is less lubrication with anal sex, condoms are more likely to break than with vaginal sex, so use a lot of water-based lubricating gel .
Even if your boyfriend thinks he’s STD free, he may not be. Lots of people can have STDs without knowing it. Even if they don’t have symptoms themselves, they can still pass STDs on to a partner. So protect yourself with a condom whenever you have any type of sex vaginal, oral, or anal. It’s also a good idea to get tested for STDs at least once a year and whenever you have a new partner.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
You Use The Pull Out Method
This old-school method of preventing pregnancy is a far cry from a myth. It’s not foolproof and it can certainly result in pregnancy, but it does significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. In case you need a refresher course on the pull-out method, also known as withdrawal, it involves the male partner pulling out of the vagina before he ejaculates. The problem, however, is that pre-ejaculate or precum, the bodily fluid that’s released from the penis before an actual ejaculation, very well may contain active and viable sperm.
Additionally, Mark Trolice, M.D., reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at My Fertility CARE: The IVF Center in Winter Park, Florida, explains that most men aren’t aware of when they release this precum. “Because it’s hard to predict when pre-ejaculation occurs, the withdrawal method is often fraught with peril and certainly not the most reliable method out there,” he says.
How hard is it to get pregnant while using withdrawal? Withdrawal is about 96 percent effective with perfect use and 82 percent effective with typical use. If you really want to avoid pregnancy, choose a different contraceptive method
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Anal Sex And Pregnancy
If youre wondering can you get pregnant from anal sex? The answer is no. Anal sex on its own cannot cause pregnancy. However, if vaginal penetration happens and there are sperm cells on fingers, toys, or the penis itself, then pregnancy is possible.
Having anal sex and then vaginal sex straight after is only advised if the penis, fingers, or toys are washed or the condom is changed in between. This is because the transfer of bacteria from the anus to the vagina can cause infection. If you do forget to change condoms or wash, keep an eye out for any discharge or discomfort, and contact your healthcare professional if you are worried.
Can You Get Pregnant From A Toilet Seat
As misconceptions go, this one may be particularly strange so lets set the record straight. Semen cannot survive on a surface like a toilet seat or anything similar. This is because it depends upon a moist environment to survive. This means that you are unlikely to become pregnant by making typical contact with a toilet.
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Can You Get Pregnant Even If You Use The Pull
Yes.
The withdrawal method of contraception, also known as “pull-out” method or “coitus interruptus,” is when one partner removes their penis from the other partner’s vagina and away from their partner’s genitals before they ejaculate. This is generally not considered an effective form of birth control. Out of every 100 people using only withdrawal as birth control, an estimated 22 to 27 of them will get pregnant within one year . Withdrawal often doesn’t work due to the fact that it’s very hard to time the pulling-out correctly. Sperm may also be present in some people’s pre-ejaculatory fluid .
Preventing Pregnancy With Natural Cycles
Thanks for reading Can you get Pregnant from Anal Sex! Here at Natural Cycles, were passionate about closing the knowledge gap when it comes to reproductive health one topic at a time.
Natural Cycles is a certified medical device that can be used to prevent pregnancy by finding your fertile window. You can then either choose to abstain from sex or use condoms on days when pregnancy is possible.
A popular feature of the Natural Cycles app is our trackers, as well as logging how you feel throughout your cycle you can also now track different types of sex, including oral, anal and masturbation! Learn more about how Natural Cycles works today!
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What Is Anal Sex
Anal sex is the term used for any sexual activity that involves the anus. It doesnât always include anal intercourse.
The anus is full of nerve endings, making it very sensitive, and many people find anal sex pleasurable. An estimated 90% of men who have sex with men and as many as 5% to 10% of sexually active women have anal intercourse.
Um Is It Possible To Get Pregnant From Anal Sex
Throwback to your sex-ed class: You probably learnt that penis-in-vagina sex equals babies.
Unfortunately, anal probably wasnt included in the lesson plan which leaves the question: Can you get pregnant from anal sex?
Wellcan you?
Okay, not technically. Your anus isnt connected to your reproductive organs, so anal sex wouldnt directly lead to a baby.
But at the same time never say never. The vaginal and rectal openings are pretty close to each other, so its definitely a possibility that some semen could slip into the vagina, says Dr Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynaecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine.
Youre not going to get a high concentration , but you only need one sperm to get pregnant, Dr Minkin says. So while its very rare to get pregnant from anal, using it as a means of birth control is not 100% effective. Sorry, dudes.
Read more: 10 things you need to know before trying anal for the first time
So, youre saying I should use condoms even during anal sex?
Yes, one million percent. Dr Minkin explains that while of course you want to use a condom to prevent pregnancy, youre at even greater risk of STDs when doing it rectally, compared to vaginally.
The lining of the anus if not designated to fight off infections, Dr Minkin explains. Vaginal tissue in premenopausal women can do a much better job at fighting this off, as the vaginal lining is much tougher.
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Sleeping In The Same Bed
Despite its racy rep, you don’t run a risk of pregnancy by sharing a bed â nor do you tempt reproductive fate by cuddling, nuzzling, or being the big OR little spoon. There’s nothing risky about sharing a bed â though if all that onesie-clad snuggling leads to impassioned nude humping, well, then, yes, now you’re at risk for pregnancy. But just cuddling in your pajamas? Risk-free…and delightful!
If I Check My Temperature Every Morning Will That Tell Me When I Can Get Pregnant
Carefully tracking your basal body temperature with a basal body thermometer will help you know when ovulation has occurred, but won’t predict when it will happen in the future. BBT is one component of certain Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of contraception, called symptothermal methods. By following careful rules that combine the changes in BBT with carefully-tracked changes in cervical mucus, you can estimate the days in your cycle when you have the highest likelihood of becoming pregnant . If you’re interested in using a FAM for contraception, talk to your healthcare provider to find out more. You can track your BBT and cervical mucus in Clue .
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How Could Anal Sex Cause Pregnancy
By | July 19, 2012, 12:35 p.m.
Category:
You talk about how anal sex can lead to pregnancy if sperm gets near the vagina or vulva. How would that happen? Does it have to be on it?
Pregnancy can only happen if semen gets inside the vagina. Since your anus isnt connected to your reproductive organs, anal sex cant directly cause pregnancy. But its still possible for semen to get into the vagina during anal sex if the guy ejaculates into or near the anus, and the semen leaks from there down onto the vulva. Fingers and hands could make this more likely, too, by moving semen towards the vulva.
Wearing a condom during anal sex can help prevent any accidental spillage. Besides the risk of pregnancy, anal sex is also a high-risk behavior for spreading many STDs. So wearing a condom is always a good idea. Just remember to use a new condom any time you switch from anal sex to vaginal sex.
Tags:pregnancy, anal sex, semen
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Wellcan You Get Pregnant From Anal Sex
Okay, not technically. Your anus isnt connected to your reproductive organs, so anal sex wouldnt directly lead to a baby.
But at the same time…never say never. The vaginal and rectal openings are pretty close to each other, so it’s definitely a possibility that some semen could slip into the vagina, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine.
Youre not going to get a high concentration , but you only need one sperm to get pregnant, Dr. Minkin says. So while its very rare to get pregnant from anal, using it as a means of birth control is not 100 percent effective. Sorry.
In fact, about 1 in 200 women reported that they got pregnant without having vaginal sex, according to a survey published in the British Medical Journal, and though the report doesn’t confirm exactly how these women ended up pregnant, the pregnancies were likely the result of sperm somehow getting into the vagina unexpectedly. This may have occurred through sperm leaking from the anus into the vagina. Again, this is super rare, but hey, you never know.
It’s also totally possible to get pregnant even if your partner ejaculates in your anus but they began having sex in your vagina . It might not seem like enough, but it can result in pregnancy, even if you switch to anal for the big O.
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You’re Over 44 Years Old
Thanks to that good-old biological clock, a woman’s chances of getting pregnant wane over time. Women are born with some 1 million to 2 million eggs there’s only about 300,000 left when they get their first period and 25,000 left by their late 30s. This means that a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant in her early 40s are pretty slim, though it’s by no means impossible. “As we get closer to 40, the ticking of our biological clock becomes louder and by 44, it can be deafening,” she says. “Fertility decreases by as much as 95 percent in women between 40 and 45 years of age.”
How hard is it to get pregnant over 44 years old? According to Dr. Ross, women over the age of 44 have a less than 5 percent chance of getting pregnant each month.
How Does Pregnancy Occur
Pregnancy requires a mans sperm to fertilize a womans egg. Typically, the egg is located in the uterus, and the sperm must travel through the cervix, which is why vaginal sex leads to pregnancy when youre not using birth control.
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Sometimes, sperm can fertilize an egg in the fallopian tube, which leads to an ectopic pregnancy. These can be harmful to your health.
Some researchers believe that a womans orgasm helps sperm to make it to the egg, but sperm cant fertilize an egg that isnt there. An egg only exists for about 24 hours although, sperm can survive in your uterus for around six days. Thus, if you want to get pregnant, having lots of sex during your fertile window is the best option . Theres a 30% chance of getting pregnant at your most fertile although, some days present practically zero chance of pregnancy even without using condoms! .
WebMD has a great fertility calculator where you can track your own cycle.
But can you become pregnant from anal sex?
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Can You Get Pregnant Using The Pull
Hoping to prevent pregnancy by removing the penis before ejaculation is not a reliable form of birth control.
It can be difficult for a male to tell that they are about to ejaculate, or control it, and the fluid that the body releases before ejaculation may contain sperm.
According to the Center for Young Womens Health, 22% of females who use withdrawal practices will get pregnant within a year.
Can Vaginal Cleaning Or Douching Prevent Pregnancy
No. Dont be fooled into thinking that you can wash away your chances of becoming pregnant. Semen ejaculated into your vagina during sexual intercourse is buried deep in your reproductive system and cannot safely be removed by vaginal cleaning or douching.
Ive used Flo for over 3 years. I gave very irregular periods and this helps keep track of my weird cycles. I absolutely love this app! Its pretty accurate for the most part.
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Sitting On A Toilet Seat With Semen On It
My mother spent a large chunk of “the talk” explaining how I couldn’t get pregnant from sitting on a toilet seat that someone had ejaculated on. Since I generally only used the toilet in our all-female household or in the women’s room at school, I was a bit perplexed by her focus on an imaginary semen-soaked commode, but it turns out, this is a pretty common concern.
So let me give you the definitive answer: no, you are not going to get pregnant from a toilet seat. Even if we look beyond the extremely low odds of you sitting on a toilet where someone has recently ejaculated, not noticing, and then rubbing your vulva all over the semen â which is unlikely, since usually only your butt touches the toilet seat â sperm usually dies within a few moments of being exposed to the air. So if your child ever asks where they came from, the answer is not going to begin with, “Once, I had a cappuccino at the mall, and I just had to go…”
Can You Get Pregnant From Oral Sex
Whether you are on the giving or receiving end, you cannot get pregnant from oral sex, or from kissing. While sperm can survive for 3-5 days in your reproductive tract, they cannot live in your digestive tract. You cannot get pregnant from swallowing semen. Oral sex is not entirely without risk, thoughâany mouth to genital contact can transmit sexually transmitted infections.
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Can You Get Pregnant Without Having An Orgasm
Orgasm is the intensely pleasurable climax to sexual intercourse that is experienced by both men and women. However, pregnancy can still result from intercourse that does not end in orgasm.
In men, orgasm is accompanied by the ejaculation of semen from the penis, but pre-ejaculate fluid from the penis may contain low levels of sperm that are capable of causing fertilization. In women there is not thought to be any relationship between orgasm and conception pregnancy can still occur if a woman does not orgasm during or at the end of intercourse.
