Pregnant without having sex?

What are the chances of a woman getting pregnant without having sex? Let's say two people are making out with their clothes on and there's some "leakage"..what's the chance of that causing pregnancy? Consider these questions: Could the sperm swim through the clothes or would the people have had to be naked? If it can swim through clothes, how many layers? Also, how long can sperm survive outside the human body? Any info is appreciated!

Common sense would lead you to believe that, no, it wouldn't be very easy to impregnate a woman without penetration.

OTH...

Anadotal evidence tends to support that it is a common occurance. I've heard the "we were just messing around a little" excuse for pregnancy more times than I can count. Wheather these stories are true, or are just concocted to molify parents and other judgemental people, I can't say.

Use a condom. If you're that close, you're going to let him in.
Better yet, stop.
You're too young to have a baby.
Please.
Peace,
Grampa mangeorge

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"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything" Mark Twain 1894

Incidentally, what was the verdict on the old chestnut about the civil war soldier who was shot in the scrotum, and the bullet passed out the other side, hit a virgin in the abdomen, and impregnated her?

The answers to all your questions are, "It depends." Certainly sperm can swim through cloth, the cloth can act as a screen, how effective a screeen depends on the fabric, its thickness, the weave, etc. Similarly, sperm can exist outside the body for a while, but "how long" depends on the temperature, the surface, etc.

The main point here is that telling you the chances are "1 in 100" or "1 in 1000" would be deceptive... and not worth the risk. There are too many variables for you to be taking the risk, period.

Anybody ever hear of parthogenesis?

I believe the term you are looking for is Parthenongenesis, the belief ancient Greek buildings arose spontaneously from building materials carelessly left lying around.

I do sex ed with clients sometimes, and here's what I've been instructed to tell them (not in these exact words): Penetration is not absolutely necessary to cause pregnancy, although it makes it a hell of a lot more likely. Any kind of fooling around where people get parallel can result in pregnancy. It's also remotely possible for pregnancy to result from switched underwear.

You CANNOT get pregnant from a toilet seat, swimming pool, etc.

In other words, there doesn't have to be penetration, but there does have to be some very close contact.

The answer to this questions depends on your definition of sex.


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--Rowan

I've heard of it happening, but only in Dear Abby columns (which also tell us the US almost went to speaking German but lost by by one vote, so we know what a source of news Dear Abby is). Realistically, and without getting too graphic, you have to ask yourself if the male ejaculated, would you find any hint of dampness on the other end of a pair of underwear, a pair of jeans, another pair of jeans and then the other side of her underwear? If so, that's one hell of a guy you have there or else you need to move around more. But, if we're talking two teenagers in their undies messing around, I'd say you have an excellent chance of an accident. Might not be as great as if you had intercourse, but it's still playing with fire.

As for parthogenesis, that is reproduction without sex (and presumably without an Angel of the Lord knocking you up, either) so I don't think it's relevant here.

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"I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn't.

what was the verdict on the old chestnut about the civil war soldier who
was shot in the scrotum, and the bullet passed out the other side, hit a virgin in the
abdomen, and impregnated her?

I've heard the story too, but I have trouble buying it. Even if the sperm-contaminated bullet did end up in the virgin's uterus, complications (the enterance wound, infection) would prevent any babies.

Incidentally, what was the verdict on the old chestnut about the civil war soldier who was shot in the scrotum, and the bullet passed out the other side, hit a virgin in the abdomen, and impregnated her?

Jeez... The knowledge of the human body is not at its peak here. Sperm is not "stored" in the scrotum, but in the prostrate.

Jeez... The knowledge of the human body is not at its peak here. Sperm is not "stored" in the scrotum, but in the prostrate.

If that's true, then my urologist performed my vasectomy in the wrong place. I believe you are thinking of the seminal fluid which accounts for most of the ejaculate. The sperm comes from the testicles (in the scrotum) and combine with the fluid from the prostate.

Or here, apparently.

The sperm are produced in the testes and matured and stored in the epididymus (great word), a tightly coiled tube on top of each testis. From there the sperm travel through the vas deferens to the ejaculatory duct, which connects with the urethra inside the prostate gland. The prostate produces a milky, slightly alkaline fluid which contributes to semen; no sperm at all.

Watch, i'll bet someone beat me to it.


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Phantomwise

...never seen by waking eyes...

For nickrz

Try a little research-you'll be amazed!

Cecil's comment on this issue, or something closely related to it, was "one known case." This comment led one reader to wonder, "Aren't you going to tell us what the one known case was?" To which Cece responded (and this is the best part): "I suppose I could, Alison. But it's been pretty well publicized."

Cecil's comment on this issue, or something closely related to it, was "one known case." This comment led one reader to wonder, "Aren't you going to tell us what the one known case was?" To which Cece responded (and this is the best part): "I suppose I could, Alison. But it's been pretty well publicized."

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"We all sat around and lit candles and listened to John Lennon tell us with real emotion in his voice how he was the eggman, and that they were the eggmen, and that he was the walrus, and by God, we knew what he was talking about." --Dave Barry

[[Jeez... The knowledge of the human body is not at its peak here. Sperm is not "stored" in the scrotum, but in the **prostrate.**]]


Is this how the rumor got started that the woman won't get pregnant if the man isn't face down during sex?


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--Rowan

What about from used bathtub water? Can a woman get pregnant if their is spermies in the water [just how they got there isn't of concern :-)]

Quote:
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Incidentally, what was the verdict on the old chestnut about the civil war soldier who was shot in the scrotum, and the bullet passed out the other side, hit a virgin in the abdomen, and impregnated her?

Crock. Spoof that was taken seriously.

For Ezstrete - Try researching a sense of humor.

I have NEVER heard or read any case where a woman got pregnant by "accident" in terms of not having sex. No, the Bible does not count either. You CAN get pregnant without having sex, but that is usually intentional, like artifical insemination... sperm does not live long at all outside the body, air kills sperm, water kills sperm, or so I saw in one of those educational programs. Its hard enough to get pregnant (yes it is) just having regular, unprotected sex. As a matter of fact, my wife did not get pregnant for 5 years... we took NO birth control, but to be fair, we did not try to get pregnant either. (timing her cycle) If one or both persons are clothed and the male "leaks" so to speak, the chances of pregnancy are zero.

Marie-
this is just a guess, but based on your question you sound like a young girl.... if this question was referring to you or one of your friends, I beg of you to use a condom, not just for pregnancy prevention, but also to protect you from disease.

Neo - not to pick nits, but extrapolating your current state of fecundity to other people is dangerous. There are plenty of "one hit wonders" walking around out there who would vehemently argue your claims. Sperm near the vagina have an amazing tendency to wind up in the vagina.

I am sure those one hit wonders would argue Nick... but those are the chances, out of some 3 billion women (good guess) there are bound to be some that get pregnant on even the first time, but that doesn't change the fact how tough it is for sperm and egg to make a living baby. I personally would like to meet the parents of 4,5,6 children who only had sex 4,5 or 6 times. I am curious to know just how my personal example of reproduction is dangerous to others? I am not encouraging teens to have sex without worry, quite the contrary as my first post stated. (condom) If it helps, I can make it clear that I was MARRIED and we were PREPARED in the event my wife should get pregnant, we were just not trying to, we thought we should let nature take its course so to speak, and for us it was the right decision. You and I both know the chances of pregnancy are low, even more so with birth control. While there will be those that disagree, think about this: try to count up ALL the times you have ever had sex. Now out of all those, how many resulted in a baby?

"You and I know both know the chances of pregnancy are low"? "Tough for sperm and egg to make a baby"? Here are 5.8 billion people who say you're wrong.
How is your personal example of fertility dangerous? When other people take it to mean they can have uprotected sex for five years and not get pregnant, that's how. As is your insistence that the chances of pregnancy are "zero" as long as "one or both are clothed."
It's just simply not true.
Sadly, I can personally attest to two instances of having had sex with a woman ONE time with pregnancy as a result. It only takes once, baby.

For nickrz

It's like spam--tried it once--didn't like it.

Well, I'm paraphrasing Ann Landers here, so take this for what it's worth, but her scenario seemed pretty plausible:

Man ejaculates just outside of a very wet vagina. A couple of Mark Spitz sperm swim the extra long distance and find the egg.

Unlikely, yes. But not impossible.

BTW, I am the mother of two. The first child was conceived in ONE try, the second in TWO tries. I am in no way mocking infertility or bragging, I'm just echoing the idea previously stated that it only takes once.


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A film, 'Agnes of God,' was about a nun who got pregnant by an angel. Based on a true story.

>>A film, 'Agnes of God,' was about a nun who got pregnant by an angel. Based on a true story.<< --Handy

In the introduction to the published version of the play, the author says that he read an article in the paper about a novice who gave birth, and then killed the baby. That's all to the "true story." I'm not sure what's the real novice's explanation was, but even if she had in fact claimed to be pregnant by an angel, that doesn't make it so.

Anyway, even in the context of the play, it's never clear that the conception was miraculous.

Good play, BTW

Maybe you just did not understand me.
Nick - are you saying you have only had sex 2 times in your whole life?
Leslie - are you saying you have only had sex 3 times in your whole life?
Its a no-brainer that it only takes ONE time to impregnate a woman. You guys make it sound as if sex=pregnancy, which it does not. I am sure you two along with any other reader has had intercourse more times (many more) than they have children. While I may not hold degrees in chemistry or physics, I DO know my reproductive info based on my personal life and that of my friends and family. The original question involved clothes no less! NO WAY is a woman going to get pregnant if some guy goes premature in his jeans. If you dont think so, try making a baby this way next time.

I don't have a complete reference for this, but I remember reading one judge's account of a paternity case (I think this was before modern dna tests) where the defendant claimed he couldn't be the father because all they had done was "fool around" a little. Before making his ruling, the judge talked with ten gynecologists to see if they had personally seen cases where pregnancy had occured without full intercourse. All ten said they had.

Can I make a simple suggestion to any teenagers that are reading this incresingly silly debate? If your making out has any chance at all of reaching the point where the male is in danger of ejaculating, use a condom.

Don't leave ANYTHING to chance!

>>You guys make it sound as if sex=pregnancy, which it does not. I am sure you two along with any other reader has had intercourse more times (many more) than they have children.<< --all quotes Neobican

True. But I have used some form of birth control WITHOUT fail each time. Sometimes more than one form of BC at a time.

>>While I may not hold degrees in chemistry or physics, I DO know my reproductive info based on my personal life and that of my friends and family.<<

Maybe you should write this down:

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC TEST. YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC TEST. NO ONE'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS A SCIENTIFIC TEST.

Let me put it another way: statistically, the odds of getting HIV, even with a partner known to be infected, are less then the odds of not getting it from any single act of intercourse. Should you let this stop you from using a condom? Not on your life. Not on my life, anyway.

As long as it is even theoretically possible to get pregnant without penetration, a person should be cautious when "fooling around."


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--Rowan

If my mother had been in charge of the War on Drugs,
it would be "Just say 'No thank you.'"

Possible? Sure. Likely? Not really.

From this month's issue of JANE magazine:
"...the chances of getting pregnant on the first try is only 20 percent."

This is according to The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex. Obviously, JANE is no medical journal, but as they've consulted one for this particular blurb, there isn't much doubting to be done.

Under "normal" circumstances, it is decidedly difficult to become and stay pregnant. You must consider how fertile both people are, the man's sperm count, whether or not the woman is ovulating, etc. Now, technically, sperm can live inside a woman for up to a week, however, if a woman is not ovulating, the only thing that will happen is a bunch of sperm corpses being taken out during the next menstrual trash day. By the same token, it has been reported that a woman is capable of getting pregnant only one or two days out of every month. So again, under "normal" circumstances, you would have to have intercourse on that/those particular days in order to conceive. In addition, even if a woman is ovulating and a few of those frisky little critters seem to find their way into the ovum, it still isn't certain that you will become pregnant, because now the egg must attach to the uterine wall...if that does not happen, there will be no pregnancy.

It takes QUITE alot to become pregnant, just the same, no two bodies are alike. Although my logic tells me that the likelihood of conception through layers of clothing is next to nil, I suppose anything is possible, and I would advise that you carry protection with you and USE it.

Chris

Look, folks, it seems like people are misunderstanding the question. The poster just wants to know if it's possible; i.e., probability greater than zero. The answer is, yes, it it, it's just a very, very, low probability.

As a person dealing with some infertility issues right now, I know it can be difficult to get someone pregnant. I also know there are clinical cases of, for example, a vasectomized man impregnating a women who's tubes had been tied. There are some guys out there with some very motile sperm, and some very fertile women. It's possible, just not very common.

Incidentally, what was the verdict on the old chestnut about the civil war soldier who was shot in the scrotum, and the bullet passed out the other side, hit a virgin in the abdomen, and impregnated her?

Not true.

Check out http://www.snopes.com/sex/pregnant/bulletbl.htm

[kski]

It is possible that a strong swimmer sperm may get to the egg, but highly unlikely. However, as others have mentioned why mess around without a condom. Getting pregnant is the least of your worries if you're body is coming into contact with seminal fluid. There are many many Sexually Transmitted Diseases you are fooling with, not to mention AIDs!!!

[One And Only Wanderers]

Attack of the zombie threads!!

[Annie-Xmas]

In her book "Keeping Secrets" Suzanne Somers claims she got pregnant when her boyfriend ejaculated on her underpants. She also claims her second (aborted) pregnancy was a result of missing one day of taking the Pill.

Sure I believe you Suzanne.

[middleman]

In most of these cases, Midichloairans are involved!

[bibliophage]

kski, please don't resurrect threads that are more than a month or two old unless perhaps you have a very specific factual answer to the original question that wasn't answered previously. In any case, threads this old shouldn't be bumped at all.

bibliophage
moderator GQ