Lower Chance Of Pregnancy If Woman Is On Top During Sex
Dear Alice,
If the woman is on top while having sexual intercourse and the man ejaculates in her, is it true that the semen will run out and there is a very low chance of her getting pregnant?
Curious
Dear Curious,
No matter whether you’re doing it in the missionary position, woman-on-top, doggie style, spooning, or standing up, a woman has an equal chance of getting pregnant during unprotected sexual intercourse. The idea that woman-on-top leads to lower chances of conception is a misconception, a myth, and misinformation.
Regardless of a woman’s position during sex, if a man ejaculates inside her vagina without using contraception, there is a possibility of pregnancy. After all, 300 to 500 million sperm are typically released in a single ejaculation. Sperm can swim in different directions when they spurt into the vaginal canal. If a woman is ovulating, healthy sperm can potentially swim through favorable cervical mucus. If it meets up with a healthy egg, conception can occur. Others may detour down and trickle out of the vagina .
In addition, a woman can become pregnant from a man’s pre-ejaculatory fluid , as it can contain sperm.
It sounds as though you are eager to avoid pregnancy. If that’s the case, then it makes sense to talk with someone about contraceptive choices to prevent pregnancy. For further info or help in choosing contraception, couples may want to speak with a health care provider.
Fertility Is A Team Sport
Because we know so little about sperm in preejaculate, the failure rate of pulling out is really more of an educated guess and a topic of controversy among experts in the field. The reality is that lots of people in the U.S. use this method to avoid pregnancy. So, do males approach withdrawal as a serious form of contraception and take responsibility for learning how to maximize its efficacy? While plenty of men feel confident discussing the minutia of abortion and female reproductive parts they tend to be quite ignorant of their own fertility.
Greg Sommer discovered just how few males understand their contribution to pregnancy when he launched an at-home sperm-testing kit called Trak. In 2017, he brought his product to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We had a demo kit at our booth, and I cant tell you how many guys came up and said, So, what, I pee in the cup?Sommer recalls. And we had to tell them, No, theres no sperm in your urine.
Sperm awareness got a boost in 2017, when a meta-analysis showed that sperm counts of men from the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand had dropped by more than 50 percent in less than 40 years. Men are responsible for nearly half of infertility cases but take way too long to get a semen analysis when they are not conceiving naturally, Sommer says. The study was widely framed as a potential crisis in male fertility, sparking some men to consider their sperm functionality more deeplyor just consider it at all.
Can You Have Sex On Your Period
Yes. But like all issues surrounding sex, communication is critical. This means checking in with your partner. Depending on whether youre the one menstruating or not, questions might include: How do you feel during your period? Would you ever want to have sex while youre menstruating? or Im on my period right now. How do you feel about having sex while Im menstruating? For many folks who menstruate, sexual desire changes during different times of the menstrual cycle. For example, a person might experience increased desire during menstruation or ovulation it all depends on the person. Be sure to talk about desires and feelings to ensure everyone is on the same page from the beginning.
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Using The Pullout Method Correctly
Correct use of the pullout method requires self-control and timing. Males need to know exactly when they are reaching the point at which they can’t delay or stop ejaculation. This is critical for pulling out at the right moment. Even if your partner has excellent self-control, though, there’s no guarantee you will not get pregnant.
Using the withdrawal method without any other form of birth control is risky. You still can get pregnant even if your partner pulls out in time. This is because a small amount of pre-ejaculate semen is released before ejaculation. There is sperm in this small amount of semen, which can lead to pregnancy if you are ovulating. Ovulation is when your body releases an egg.
Pregnancy can also happen if semen or pre-ejaculate is spilled on the vulva, the external opening of the vagina.
Another risk of the pullout method is that it does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections .
Using a condom is your best bet for reducing the risk of an STI.
Figure Out If Anything Has Changed With You
When your partner pulls away, its easy to blame them for any changes that may have occurred in your relationship. But theres a chance that you may not be totally blameless yourself. Notice what has changed, not just with your partner but also with you, therapist Kimberly Perlin, LCSW, tells Bustle. For instance, have there been any changes in your life or behavior that may be impacting your partner? Maybe you started a new job, and you havent been as attentive to their needs. Their distance may be a response to that change. If you realize that you may be part of the issue, Perlin suggests figuring out ways to modify your behavior.
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Can You Get Pregnant If The Man Pulls Out Before Orgasm
Again, yes. Most men cant tell when theyve pre-ejaculated, and withdrawal itself takes a lot of self-control, which can be quite difficult when youre in the heat of the moment. And if even a few drops of semen land onto the outside of your vagina, sperm may still swim in, which can lead to pregnancy.
Its also important to remember that pulling out doesnt protect you against STDs. Some STDs, like genital warts and herpes, are spread through skin-to-skin contact, while others, such as chlamydia, syphilis or gonorrhea, can be carried in precum. So if youre worried about any STD, make sure that you use a condom.
You’re On Birth Control
Birth controlwhether it’s the pill, patch, ring, implant, IUD, or the shot greatly decreases your chances of conception. These methods work in various ways for example, IUDs block sperm from reaching the egg, while hormonal contraception prevent the recruitment of a mature egg, explains Dr. Brauer. Even if you’re committed to taking your birth control, you still have to use it correctly and consistently.
Also, if you rely on contraceptive pills, take note: Some pill packs contain four to seven days of sugar pills without any hormones. In rare ocassions, this may be long enough to allow for recruitment of a mature egg. “This is often referred to as ‘escape ovulation’ and is one reason for oral hormonal contraception failure,” says Dr. Brauer. Missing doses of hormonal contraception could also increase the chances of accidental pregnancy.
How hard is it to get pregnant on birth control? If you’re on birth control and following all instructions, then your chances of getting pregnant are generally less than 1 percent. The effectiveness decreases with “typical use” .
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Can I Get Pregnant After Sex With A Condom
“A woman can definitely become pregnant after sex even if a condom is used, if the condom outright breaks, has a hole in it, or slips while the partner is exiting the vagina,” says Dr. Tami Prince, a gynecologist at the Women’s Health and Wellness Center in Marietta, Georgia. “Even the slightest opening in the condom that is invisible to the naked eye can allow for sperm to enter the vagina and migrate towards the Fallopian tubes where fertilization occurs. If a woman happens to be ovulating at the time, the risk of pregnancy is increased.”
While the effectiveness of a condom is 85%, that means that out of 100 women who used a condom as birth control for a year, 15 of them may have become pregnant.
When a condom is not put on correctly, an air bubble between the latex and the penis can cause the condom to break or slide off. Be sure that you know how to put a condom on correctly.
Also, condoms can break! When this happens, the birth control method failed and you have had unprotected sex, which means you could become pregnant.
Intimacy Between The Couple
Pregnancy can mean one of two things for a couple, green for go. Go at it like rabbits, like its going out of style. Or Red for stop, like you want to put that where?! Get out, no-go zone, this is disgusting. For some couples, pregnancy turns up the chemistry between a man and a woman. The fact that a woman is carrying his child can be very appealing. Its all very caveman and a bit sexy. Pregnancy can also run a man cold. He can be freaked out by the fact that there is a person inside of her now huge belly. A freaking person! What if he pokes it in the eye? This thought, as funny as it may seem, is a common misconception among guys.
Many of them believe themselves to be so well endowed that they can not only penetrate the closed cervix but can also cause injury to the fetus growing inside the safely tucked away uterus. Some men, are honestly just straight up turned off by the changes women go through when carrying a child. The leaky boobs, the stretch marked belly, all the huge swollen feet can all just be too much to handle. This is an important time for him to pay attention to his feelings and be honest about what is going through his head because pregnancy is a common time for some men to stray. Which bring us to our next point…
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What’s The Risk Of Pregnancy From Sex With Contraception
The following is a list of the kinds of sex that give you have a small or close to no chance of falling pregnant:
- Right before or during your period.
- Using a condom .
- While on the birth control pill .
- While using a condom and birth control pills
- While using any form of birth control such as Depo Provera injections.
So How Do I Make It Less Likely To Have A Baby
- Dont have penile-vaginal sex.
- But if youre going to have penile-vaginal sex
- Control your and your partners behavior:
- Carefully track menstrual cycles to better understand normal cycles and predict ovulation.
- Withdraw the penis from the vagina before ejacuation.
- These methods take a lot of self-control and 100% consistency on the part of both partners. You cant control your partners behavior, so this can be a good backup method, but we dont recommend using one or both of these behaviors as the primary way to avoid pregnancy.
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What Makes It Less Effective
For the pull-out method to be effective, the male must know precisely when they will ejaculate, and be able to withdraw before. This can take practice. Practicing when masturbating or using condoms during sex can help.
It can also be tricky because the pull-out method may reduce physical pleasure or make it more difficult for one or more of the sexual partners to reach climax. That means that some people may be reluctant to pull out before ejaculating or feel tempted to cut it close with their timing.
To be effective, all sexual partners must make sure that no semen comes into contact with the vagina or vulva. This includes when cleaning up after ejaculation, and people must make sure to clean their hands and penis before any further sexual activity.
Substances such as alcohol or drugs can also reduce a persons reaction time, making it harder to judge the timing.
Many people wonder whether the pull-out method works, even when performed properly because pre-ejaculate or pre-cum still enters the vagina. This refers to the fluid that leaves the penis before ejaculation.
This is a very common question. In fact, one study reports that of the email questions an emergency contraception website received in one year asked whether pre-cum could cause pregnancy.
According to the OWH , some sperm may still leave the penis before withdrawal. They say that pre-cum may contain sperm. If it does, the female could become pregnant.
Talk To Your Doctor About Getting A Copper Iud
A copper IUD is another form of emergency contraception that conveniently doubles as a long-lasting birth control method. When inserted by a health care provider within 120 hours of having unprotected sex, it reduces your risk of pregnancy at the moment, and in the future. “It is more effective than any of the pill options at any weight,â says Dr. Duran.
As Jess OâReilly, Ph.D. and host of the Drive Him Wild With Pleasure video course previously explained to Elite Daily, “… is inserted by a medical practitioner into the uterus and the copper changes the way the sperm cells move to reduce the likelihood of their making it to the egg.” Unlike an oral emergency contraceptive, the copper IUD works by triggering your immune system to prevent pregnancy. And according to Planned Parenthood, it’s the most effective form of birth control available and can be used for up to 12 years.
Donât be afraid to take charge of your reproductive health. If you want to prevent birth control failure from happening again, talk to your doctor about getting on the pill, getting an IUD, and always carry condoms and keep them stashed in your nightstand. Because when your body and your future are in question, you have the power to decide what happens next.
This article was originally published on 10.26.17
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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Sex While On Your Period
The simple answer is yes.
We get a lot of questions about specific situations on this.
If a person whose body ejaculates sperm has sex with a person whose body houses ovaries, then yes, its possible to get pregnant at any time during a menstrual cycle. To put that in writing again if you have unprotected vaginal/penile intercourse during a menstrual period, it IS possible to get pregnant. Pregnancy can happen if you have sex before, during or after your period.
You are most likely to get pregnant if you have penile/vaginal sex around the time of ovulation. Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days after the start of someones last period.
Write Your Thoughts & Feelings Down
As much as you may want to confront your partner right away, letting out all your anger, frustration, and sadness, might only make things worse. Instead, clinical psychologist Dr. Carla Marie Manly suggests spending time journaling to flesh out your thoughts and feelings first. The journaling process can help you gain objectivity and crystallize the dynamics at work, Manly says. Although you cant control your partners behaviors, you canstep back to gain insight that will help you communicate effectively with your partner.
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Are Other People Having Sex On Their Period
Based on the number of folks who are reading this blog article yup. But really, it doesnt matter if other folks are doing it or not. Having sex during menstruation is a personal decision, so we again emphasize that you should talk with your partner to see how they feel. If nothing else it can be another opportunity to get to know your partner and their likes, dislikes and comfort level.
This article has been edited for clarity and updated formatting since its original publishing date.
Most recent edit: November 5, 2019
Is Having Sex On Your Period Bad For You
No. Having sex while one or more partners are on their period is not harmful. In fact, there are a few ways in which it might be helpful! First, the contractions of orgasm might help relieve menstrual cramping. Second, sex might feel particularly great because the vagina can become super lubricated from menstrual secretions. If you or your partner worry about a mess from the blood, consider spreading out a towel or having sex in the shower to minimize post-coital cleaning.
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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
