Pre-ejaculate – does it contain sperm or just lubrication?

What is pre-ejaculate?

It is a slippery, colorless discharge that comes out of the penis during sexual arousal, before full ejaculation. This fluid is produced, among other things, by the male bulbourethral glands , a pair of pea-sized organs located below the prostate gland.

Pre-ejaculate functions:

• neutralization of the acidic, sperm-killing urine reaction in the urethra
• hydration – pre-ejaculation fluid is a kind of “natural lubricant”

Can pre-ejaculate contain sperm?

There are still too few studies that are sufficiently in-depth and have consistent results. However, a few studies provide an answer: yes, pre-ejaculate can contain sperm.

You can read more about sperm in our article: How long do sperm live ?

In 2010, Hull York Medical School conducted an experiment in which several samples of pre-ejaculatory fluid were collected from volunteers in the IVF department.

Of the 27 samples:

• 11 (41%) contained live sperm,
• In 10 of them (37%) some sperm were motile.

Another significant observation was that consistently either all test samples contained live sperm or none of them.

Previous tests for the presence of sperm in pre-ejaculate either found no sperm at all or reported only "a few small clumps of sperm."

So Hull officials asked: were the tests so far really accurate?

They then gave the participants in their study more detailed instructions for taking samples, and above all, made sure that they were verified no later than 2 minutes after their production to avoid the liquid drying out.

In response to the 41 percent finding of sperm in pre-ejaculate, it was suggested that it was certainly a residue from the previous ejaculation. However, the HYMS researchers noted that the subjects were asked to urinate multiple times to flush and cleanse the urethra.

This means that the sperm present in pre-ejaculate were the "new" ones. Scientists have therefore concluded that pre-ejaculate may contain a certain number of sperm capable of fertilizing an egg .

How to check if pre-ejaculate contains sperm?

There is no such possibility. Doctors only refer for semen (sperma) testing to determine the sperm count - but we did not find any possibilities for pre-ejaculate testing available in Polish laboratories.

Pre-ejaculate and pregnancy

There is a risk of pregnancy if pre-ejaculate enters the vagina – but it is very low .

Boston researchers did one simple calculation to prove it to us: The average ejaculation has about 100 million sperm per milliliter, of which about 10 million sperm pass through the cervical mucus, about 1 million reach the upper uterine tract , and only about 100,000 sperm reach the fallopian tubes.

Following the calculations, we can therefore say that in the case of a low sperm content in the pre-ejaculatory fluid, only a few of the motile ones would reach the fallopian tubes.

After all, all it takes is one live sperm to fertilize! And plus, you're right :) But let's compare the frequency of getting pregnant this way to hitting a six on the lottery. It happens, but not many.

Pre-ejaculation and coitus interruptus

Simply put, coitus interruptus involves withdrawing the penis from the vagina before full ejaculation of semen occurs .

However, "before" does not mean "just before" climax, but rather the moment when a person feels that ejaculation is slowly approaching. In practice, it is not an easy task at all. During strong sexual arousal, it is difficult to have full self-control and perfect reflexes.

Withdrawn intercourse never provides 100% certainty – because it can happen that only part of the sperm ends up outside, and the rest enters the vagina. That is why it is not a method of contraception.More on contraception (and its actual methods of preventing pregnancy). Withdrawn intercourse on infertile days poses the lowest risk of pregnancy. However, if you and your partner are not planning to have a child – use protection, e.g. condoms, because withdrawn intercourse is not a method of contraception !

However, if you and your partner are considering interrupted sex, consider what a potential pregnancy would mean to you. And before anything happens, for your own safety, you can get tested for sexually transmitted diseases .

Pre-ejaculate and sexually transmitted diseases

When observing pre-ejaculatory fluid, scientists from Hull are paying attention to another problem rather than the risk of unwanted pregnancy.

In studies conducted in Boston and New York, they collected pre-ejaculatory fluid samples from seropositive and seronegative individuals to determine whether HIV was present in preejaculate.

The results showed that samples from 6 of 9 seropositive donors from Boston and 6 of 14 from New York contained macrophages and CD4 lymphocytes, which confirms the presence of HIV in pre-ejaculate. The researchers explain that the risk of transmitting an STD may be higher than the risk of getting pregnant. Remember – condoms are not just a method of contraception. They are also a protective measure against contracting STDs.

Don't hesitate to ask your doctor for details about sexual safety.