If you're trying to get pregnant, you might start viewing penis-in-vagina sex a little differently. For instance, you might start timing sex to increase your chances of conceiving and trying different positions that are prime for baby-making—and keeping semen inside the vagina. You might also wonder why sperm sometimes comes out of the vagina hours after sex.
When trying to conceive (TTC), it's normal to be worried if you notice that a small amount of semen (and, by extension, sperm) leaks out of your vagina after your partner ejaculates. This leakage is nothing to worry about but can understandably be discouraging when the goal is conception. You're left to wonder: "How is sperm supposed to fertilize my eggs if it's not making it there?"
Hero Images/Getty ImagesIn actuality, though, it's entirely normal for some sperm to leak out of the vagina after sex that ends in your partner ejaculating into your vagina, says Michele Hakakha, M.D., FACOG, an OB-GYN in Beverly Hills and author of Expecting 411. Good news: Some sperm coming out is expected and doesn't affect your chances of getting pregnant. Read on to learn why you can still get pregnant if sperm comes out after sex.
Why It's OK If Some Semen Leaks Out
To understand why it's OK if some semen comes out, it helps to get a basic run-down of how conception works. "Semen (the stuff that comes out of the penis with ejaculation) is made up of a lot of different things," explains Dr. Hakakha. "One of its components is sperm."
Healthy ejaculate contains anywhere from 23 to 928 million sperm, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). And just one sperm is needed to fertilize your egg for conception to occur. So, in reality, while you may notice what appears to be quite a lot of sperm leaking out of the vagina after penis-in-vagina sex, sperm is just one component of that fluid—and there's likely plenty of it to reach an egg if that is your goal.
Ejaculate often leaks out of the vagina after baby-making sex, and while there is not much you can do to prevent this from happening, that's OK. In fact, some amount of leakage could be a good sign since it could indicate a healthy amount of sperm that could result in pregnancy.
The Journey Sperm Take
If you're still uneasy about the amount of semen you find leaking out after sex, it can be helpful to think about the journey sperm takes after ejaculation. How can you confirm how much sperm went inside? Well, it may help to know that little actually ends up where it needs to go to conceive successfully (assuming the timing is right, of course).
Here are some places sperm may end up after entering the vagina:
- Some semen will inevitably leak out of the vagina upon standing or changing positions.
- Some of the sperm will remain in the back of the vagina (the posterior fornix).
- An even smaller amount will make its way through the cervix, into the uterus, and down the fallopian tubes.
Sperm travels quickly, so it begins trekking to the fallopian tubes within minutes. "It's here, in the fallopian tubes, that the sperm and egg meet," says Dr. Hakakha.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that it's perfectly normal if some amount of semen (and sperm) leaks from the vagina after penis-in-vagina sex. And you don't need to worry about trying to "keep" it inside, either. "You don't need to lie in bed with your legs up after intercourse to get pregnant," says Dr. Hakakha. "The fact that semen is leaking out afterward doesn't decrease your chances of conceiving."
A pregnancy could result if the right circumstances are in place. For instance, timing sex with ovulation makes it more likely that an egg will be ready to be fertilized—but keep in mind that conception often takes time. For example, research shows that only about 30% of people trying to get pregnant will conceive the first month they try. But that same research shows that the rate increases to 75% within six months and 90% after a year.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), if you're under 35 and you've been trying to conceive for one year with no results, you may want to consider a fertility evaluation. If you're over 35 years old, the time frame decreases to six months, and those over 40 should get one right away.
Should men be concerned about semen leakage?
Semen is a whitish fluid that contains seminal fluid and sperm. It is generally expelled from the penis when a man ejaculates. But men may experience semen leakage at other times, such as when they are urinating or sleeping.
Leaking semen isn’t always a problem, but there are times when it can signal a health problem that needs medical attention.
Sexual Arousal
Sometimes, men leak semen when they’re sexually aroused, before or after ejaculation. It usually is not a cause for concern.
Before ejaculation, men might discover a clear fluid called pre-ejaculate or “precum.” This fluid is not semen, but it is possible for sperm cells to mix with it. A woman can become pregnant from pre-ejaculate, so couples should use condoms for the entire duration of intercourse if they wish to avoid pregnancy.
Nocturnal Emissions
Nocturnal emissions or “wet dreams” occur when a man ejaculates during sleep, as the result of some kind of sexual stimulation or sexual dream. Wet dreams are normal and quite common in adolescents and young adults. They do not represent any dysfunction and usually become less frequent as a man gets older.
Leakage With Urination
Some men leak semen while they urinate. This might happen if a man has recently ejaculated and still has semen in his urethra. In this case, this is not something to worry about.
However, seeing semen mixed in urine may indicate the presence of retrograde ejaculation, a condition in which semen travels backward into the bladder instead of forward out of the penis during the ejaculatory reflex. In those cases, the semen exits the body with the urine later, which is not harmful, but this condition may cause fertility issues. Common causes of retrograde ejaculation are the use of alpha-blockers (for benign prostatic hyperplasia) and diabetes mellitus. Treatment options must be discussed with your health care professional.
Side Effects of Medications
Certain drugs, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs – a type of antidepressant) have sexual side effects, including semen leakage.
If this happens, men should speak to their doctor. Adjusting the medication dose or changing the medication altogether might help. However, patients should never make such changes on their own. It is important to have a doctor’s guidance concerning any medication changes.
Semen leakage can be a symptom of prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate gland. Men may have other symptoms as well, such as pain and problems with urination. Prostatitis can usually be treated with medications, but needs proper evaluation by a doctor.
Prostate Cancer
Some men with prostate cancer leak semen, too.
Nervous System Injury
Men might leak semen if their nervous system is damaged in some way, such as through a spinal cord injury, brain tumor, diabetes, or multiple sclerosis.
Men should always see their doctor if they have other symptoms along with semen leakage, such as pain, bloody semen or urine, or discharge that looks or smells unusual.
Dhat Syndrome
Men with dhat syndrome feel especially anxious if they have semen leakage, such as through urine, masturbation, or nocturnal emissions. Patients may eventually become fatigued, have trouble concentrating and remembering information, feel guilt, and develop other sexual problems.
Dhat syndrome is called a “culture bound syndrome.” It primarily affects men in the Indian subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh).
Resources
- Healthline.com
Roland, James
“What Causes Semen Leakage and How to Treat It”
(Reviewed: May 4, 2018)
//www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/semen-leakage#leakage-after-urination
- International Society for Sexual
Medicine
//www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-is-pre-ejaculate-or-precum/
- Medical News Today
Leonard, Jayne
“What to know about semen leakage”
(Reviewed: September 19, 2019)
//www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326393.php
- Psychology
Today
Griffiths, Mark D., Ph.D.
“Dhat Syndrome Explained”
(October 22, 2015)
//www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-excess/201510/dhat-syndrome-explained
- Urology Care Foundation
“What are Prostatitis and Related Chronic Pelvic Pain Conditions?”
//www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/prostatitis-(infection-of-the-prostate)