When Does Precum Actually Come Out
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When Does Precum Actually Come Out
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Precum Here’s what pre-cum is, why it’s there to begin with, and if it can get you pregnant.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Precum
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Precum
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If you’ve hooked up with a penis-owner or are a penis-owner yourself , you may have noticed a clear, odorless, sticky substance coming out of the penis during foreplay or sex. This is pre-ejaculate or precum, and it’s totally normal. In fact, it can increase the pleasure of intercourse by providing lubrication.
What exactly is precum? Can you get pregnant from it? Read on to find out everything you need to know about precum and what you can do about it.
Precum is also known as Cowper’s fluid because it’s made in the Cowper gland. The Cowper gland is part of the male reproductive system and it’s located just behind the prostate gland.
Precum is produced when a person is aroused. It’s not like having an orgasm and releasing ejaculate fluid, though. People with penises don’t usually know it’s on their penis because no physical sensation accompanies its release. The fluid itself serves a few functions before and during the reproductive process. First, it neutralizes the acidity of any urine that might be left in the urethra. Sperm doesn’t like acidic environments. Since sperm and urine both travel through the urethra, neutralizing acid from urine will help sperm survive. Next, precum also helps neutralize the acidity of the vagina, again, to help sperm survive. As mentioned above, precum also provides some lubrication to get the whole reproductive process in motion.
People with penises can’t control their production of precum. When people have sex without using a barrier method, it’s possible for some pre-ejaculate to be released without either partner noticing. Partners who use the withdrawal or “pulling out” method should know that there is a chance some sperm may be present in precum. Some people with penises don’t produce any noticeable precum, while others can produce up to 5 mL. ( It’s not possible to know how much sperm is in your precum unless you keep a microscope by your bed and have some training in microbiology.)
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a ton of research on exactly how much sperm is in the ejaculatory fluid. However, the research that exists indicates that while it’s possible that there might be no sperm in some people’s precum, there is sperm capable of fertilizing an egg in other people’s precum. Since there’s no way to tell if you or your partner might have sperm in pre-ejaculate, it’s best to use another birth control option besides or in addition to withdrawal if you or your partner don’t want to become pregnant.
Withdrawal has a 22% failure rate. That means that for every 100 couples who use withdrawal as primary birth control for one year, 22 will experience a pregnancy. IUDs, hormonal birth control, sterilization, and condoms are more effective at preventing pregnancy than withdrawal. However, if withdrawal is the only option available, it does reduce the risk of pregnancy.
Dr. Daniel Atkinson , Clinical Lead for Treated.com explains, “Withdrawal requires a lot of restraint, an in-depth knowledge of your own body and immense trust for both of your bodies” He explains that one in every five couples using this method get pregnant, and it has the highest rate of pregnancy amongst any other contraceptive method. Not to mention, the pull-out method does not protect against STIs.
There’s no research to verify that it’s possible to reduce the amount of sperm in precum. However, because it’s possible that some sperm in precum is leftover from previous ejaculations, theoretically, you may be able to flush it out by urinating both before and after ejaculation. It’s fine to do this as a precaution, but it’s not a reliable or studied method of preventing pregnancy.
Birth control and barriers are well-studied effective methods for preventing pregnancy when used correctly. The birth control implant, IUDs, and permanent sterilization (for both people with penises and people with uteruses) are all methods that are more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. Other forms of hormonal birth control range in effectiveness from 91-94% in preventing pregnancy. However, these methods when perfectly used (ie: not missing a pill, getting your shot on time, etc.) increases effectiveness to nearly 99%.
External (often referred to as male) condoms and internal (often referred to as female) condoms are around 82% effective at preventing pregnancy and are even more effective when used correctly and consistently. The options can be quite overwhelming, but we have a breakdown of all the information you need to choose the best protection method for you and your partner . Preventing pregnancy is also possible by avoiding penetrative vaginal sex and exploring partnered pleasure in other ways, for example oral and manual sex.
There is some evidence that precum is capable of transmitting some STIs. Some studies have found infectious agents in precum, including HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The best way to prevent STIs is to use a condom.
At the end of the day, if you’re having sex with a partner who is able to produce precum, just know that even though it’s totally natural and normal (and can make sex feel great), having sex without a barrier method does come with risks of pregnancy and STI transmission. To reduce your risk as much as possible, you can combine a hormonal method of birth control with a barrier method.
Rachel is a bisexual, disabled, demi-woman witch and personal essay writer from North East England. She has written for Metro UK, iNews, Huffington Post, Femsplain and Hello Giggles, amongst others. They are a fierce feminist, period positive, LGBTQ+ and disability activist. After almost a decade of unexplained pain, Rachel elected to have a hysterectomy at the age of 28 and works to speak out about reproductive health.
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Many couples rely on withdrawal as a method of contraception — but just how safe is it? Find out what precum is and the real risks of getting pregnant from it.
The pull-out method has been shown to be one of the least effective methods of contraception , but lots of us are still using it to avoid pregnancy.
In fact, a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 60 percent of the female population in the U.S. (or their partners) have used the withdrawal method at least once, making it one of the most common methods of contraception. And a 2015 study revealed that seven percent of female and six percent of male respondents claim that withdrawal is their only method of contraception.
Even though the pull-out method might seem convenient, it actually carries a few risks that could result in major inconvenience (to put it mildly). Withdrawal doesn’t provide protection from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) . And even if your partner pulls out before ejaculation, you may still be exposed to sperm cells in the form of precum.
So, what is precum ? And can it get you pregnant? We asked the experts.
Find out what you can do with our Health Assistant
Precum, also known as “pre-ejaculatory fluid,” is the fluid that sometimes appears at the tip of the penis before ejaculation . This can happen at any time during arousal.
Contrary to what lots of people think, precum isn’t actually the same thing as semen — even if it looks a lot like it! So, where does it come from? Well, precum is produced in the Cowper’s glands and is made up of enzymes and mucus. So, in its purest form, precum doesn't actually contain any sperm cells at all. The problem is that precum often becomes contaminated with sperm during sex — more on that below.
Precum actually has quite an important job to do. It helps the urethra (the tube that transports sperm and urine) prepare to ejaculate semen.
As Dr. Peace Nwegbo-Banks , OB-GYN, explains, “The urethra serves two purposes in men — it allows for the passage of sperm and urine. Because urine has an acidic pH, this can affect sperm motility.”
In other words, precum makes the urethra less acidic and, therefore, more hospitable for all of those sperm cells that are on their way.
Something people often google is “ Can you get pregnant from precum ?” — and the answer is yes.
Even though precum doesn't naturally contain sperm, it can be contaminated with sperm . For example, a 2013 study found that 41 percent of people surveyed had traces of live sperm in their precum — although only 37 percent contained a “reasonable proportion” of motile sperm that could result in pregnancy .
“If [someone with a penis] has recently ejaculated, residual sperm can reside within the urethra,” Nwegbo-Banks explains. So, in other words, yes, precum can deliver sperm to the vaginal canal and, in some cases, lead to pregnancy.
While it’s impossible to tell if your partner’s precum contains sperm, what we do know is that the withdrawal (or pull-out) method is very risky. In fact, a 2017 study found 20 percent of people relying on withdrawal for contraception ended up with an unintended pregnancy — the highest failure rate of any contraceptive method tested.
If you’re not planning on getting pregnant, you’re much better off using a different method of contraception. IUDs, birth control pills, and condoms have all been shown to be much more effective than the pull-out method.
Pregnancy isn't the only risk that comes with the pull-out method because precum can also spread STIs.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) explains, STIs are usually spread through sexual contact, and HIV, chlamydia, hepatitis B, and gonorrhea can be spread through fluids including — you guessed it — precum.
So the pull-out method can be pretty risky, especially if you’re having casual sex or are unsure if your partner has been recently tested for STIs. It’s also important to remember that conditions such as herpes and HPV can also be passed on through skin-to-skin contact, so while wearing a condom doesn’t entirely eliminate the spread of those viruses, it does help a little.
Precum occurs during arousal prior to ejaculation. Different people produce different amounts of precum. In some cases, the amount will be so small that it’s not noticeable.
A 2013 study found that the amount of precum produced was usually less than a teaspoon. In many cases, it’s barely noticeable.
If you have used the withdrawal method and are worried about getting pregnant, unfortunately, peeing after sex won't help to kill any sperm cells that may have already made it to your vaginal canal.
As Nwegbo-Banks explains, urine comes from your urethra, so it won't interact with any active sperm cells in your vagina or uterus.
However, urine can kill sperm cells when it interacts with them. So, if your partner has recently ejaculated, they may be able to kill some —not all — of the remaining sperm cells in their urethra by urinating. If you then decide to use the withdrawal method after this, their precum will be less likely to contain high levels of sperm. Even so, you should use a condom if you’re not planning for pregnancy and/or you and your partner haven’t been recently tested for STIs.
If you have used the withdrawal method, you may be at risk of becoming pregnant or contracting an STI. If you’re not certain of the other person’s STI status, it’s a good idea to get tested. And if you don’t want to get pregnant, emergency contraception is your best option.
There are two different types of emergency contraception pills. One contains levonorgestrel and needs to be taken within 72 of unprotected sex. The other contains ulipristal acetate and needs to be taken within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex. Having a copper IUD inserted within 120 hours of unprotected sex also works for emergency contraception. You may wish to speak with your doctor about more effective long-term contraception methods.
“Which Young Adults Are Most Likely to Use Withdrawal?” NCBI , www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4373981. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021. “Sperm Content of Pre-Ejaculatory Fluid.” NCBI , www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3564677. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021. Sundaram, Aparna. “Contraceptive Failure in the United States: Estimates From the 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth.” Wiley Online Library , 1 Mar. 2017, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1363/psrh.12017. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021. “Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).” World Health Organisation , 14 June 2019, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis). Accessed 11 Nov. 2021. NHS website. “Emergency Contraception (Morning After Pill, IUD).” Nhs.Uk , 8 July 2021, www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/emergency-contraception. Accessed 11 Nov. 2021.
https://www.thebody.com/article/interval-time-precum-cum
You should know: The answer above provides general health information that is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment recommendations from a qualified health care professional.
I gave oral sex to a guy, but first I tried to get all the precum off of his
penis before performing oral sex, and when it came time for him to ejaculate,
i stop giving him oral sex..do you think I was at risk for infection since i
did this? In other words, is precum constantly being released or does it all
come out within a certain time frame before ejaculation?
Thank you for your question. Generally speaking, a man can produce pre-cum
at any time from the point where he becomes sexually aroused, until the time
he ejaculates. Therefore, if you are giving a man oral sex without
protection, if he is sexually aroused, you can assume that you may have been
exposed to pre-cum. Some men produce more pre-cum than others. There is no
standard interval of time between the initiation of pre-cum and ejaculation.
This is highly variable from man to man. For more information on the risks
of pre-cum, see the postings, "How many proven oral sex infections solely
from precum proven?" and "oral sex."
If you have any further questions, please feel free to call the Centers for Disease Control at 1.800.232.4636 (Nationwide).
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