Answer:
by Larry Siegel: (05/19/2004)
Thanks for taking the time to write in. I sincerely apologize that it's taken me so long to reply...For the most part, pregnancy occurs when the sperm meet up with an fertilize an ovum ("egg"). The fact is, sperm are very fragile and the only real way a woman can get pregnant is by having semen ejaculated inside her vagina. Many people like to overply the fact that it can also happen without having intercourse but that is EXTREMELY RARE and there is very little real-life data to support the reality of this. Most rely on the theoretical point that sperm can survive up to 5 days inside the vagina. Outside, however, they can't survive at room temperature and once the semen starts to cool down and dry, the sperm die as well. Unfortunately, there are no statistics on this that I can share with you (that also speaks to how incredibly rare it is).
Because we can no longer separate pregnancy prevention from disease prevention, it is never recommended to allow semen even on or near the vagina. It actually is far more likely to get an STI/STD that way. But as far as pregnancy, there is the extremely rare possibility.
I hope this was of some hep to you. Take care and feel free to write back if you have any other questions or concerns. I promise to answer in a more timely manner...
Larry Siegel, MA, CST, AASECTReviewed by Sexual Health Editorial Team
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