Can I get pregnant from pre-cum?

Your chances of getting pregnant from pre-ejaculate are very low, especially compared to conceiving with ejaculate, but it is possible.

Let’s consider what pre-ejaculate is and what conception requires.

Pre-ejaculate is a male bodily fluid produced by accessory sex glands (known as Cowper’s glands, after the English surgeon who first described them). These are different from the prostate and testes that make semen, the fluid containing sperm. Pre-ejaculate also has a different purpose. It's a basic fluid that is released to protect sperm from the acid environment of the urethra and the vagina. It also provides lubrication, to some degree.

How might pre-ejaculate get me pregnant?

For conception to happen, a healthy sperm has to meet your egg in one of your fallopian tubes and fertilise it. Pre-ejaculate does not usually contain sperm. However, it does sometimes, and because there’s generally no way to tell which you're dealing with in an intimate situation, there is some chance you can get pregnant if any pre-ejaculate gets into your vagina.

You should use contraception if you are trying to avoid getting pregnant, or (because, while not impossible, it is unlikely you’ll make a baby with pre-ejaculate) or keep having unprotected sex regularly if you are trying to conceive.

What if my partner and I use the withdrawal (coitus interruptus or pull-out) method?

This is not always an effective method of birth control. One in five couples who practice the withdrawal method perfectly will conceive. Questions about the fertilisation powers of pre-ejaculate are often asked by couples who use this method, but the contents of pre-ejaculate aren’t really the point. The ineffectiveness of the withdrawal method is far better studied than the contents of pre-ejaculate. If you’re trying not to get pregnant, don’t risk this method. Apart from its questionable efficacy, it won’t protect you or your partner from STIs. Practising unsafe sex can also harm your ability to conceive in the future, as well as undermine a healthy pregnancy.

Can I get pregnant without having penetrative sex?

Yes, although your chances are lower than conceiving through penetrative sex. Examples of non-penetrative situations that might result in pregnancy include:

Ejaculation happens very close to your vagina.
Your partner's erect penis coming into contact with your vagina or vulva

Your risk of getting pregnant in this way is very low because sperm cannot survive for more than an hour outside the body, but it is possible.

If you are trying not to get pregnant, the best way to prevent both STIs and conception is to use condoms. There are a number of even more effective birth control methods, such as IUDs, that may be used safely in combination with condoms to protect you further.

If you are trying to conceive, there are a number of assisted ways to do this that do not involve sex, including IVF, IUI, and ICSI.

Can pre-ejaculate get me pregnant?

Unii shares why this is unlikely but possible. Please practice safe sex.