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Before men climax, they release a fluid known as pre-ejaculation, or pre-cum. Pre-cum comes out right before semen, which has live sperm that can lead topregnancy。Many people believe that pre-cum doesn’t include sperm, so there’s no risk of unintended pregnancy. But that’s not true.

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about this topic, but the short answer is: Yes, it’s possible to get pregnant from pre-cum. Read on to learn how and why.

You’re right: Pre-cum doesn’t actually contain any sperm. But it’s possible for sperm to leak into pre-cum.

Pre-cum is a lubricant produced by a gland in the penis. It’s released before ejaculation. Semen may linger in the urethra after ejaculation and mix with pre-cum while it’s on its way out.

In fact, a 2016 study found mobile sperm present in the pre-cum of nearly 17 percent of its male participants. Another study, published in 2011 , found mobile sperm in 37 percent of pre-cum samples given by 27 men.

Peeing before you have sex may help flush out any leftover semen, reducing the chance sperm will appear in your pre-cum.

预胶不是您可以控制的。流体释放是射精之前发生的非自愿身体功能。这就是为什么戒断方法在预防怀孕方面不如其他节育措施（例如药片或者condoms。

Even if you pull out right before you climax, pre-cum is still likely to enter your partner’s vagina. And research shows that can lead to unintended pregnancy. One2008 study估计使用戒断方法的夫妇中有18％会在一年内怀孕。根据 2013 National Health Statistics Report , about 60 percent of women in the United States report using this birth control option.

Overall, the withdrawal method is about 73 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, according to theFeminist Women’s Health Center。

简短的答案是肯定的：即使您没有排卵，也可以从预兼时怀孕。

Although pregnancy is most likely to happen when you’re ovulating, sperm can actually live inside your body foras long as five days。这意味着，如果精子在排卵前就在您的生殖道中，那么排卵时可能仍然存在并活着。

Ovulation typically happens around the middle of your menstrual cycle. This is usually about14 daysbefore you start your next period.

Since sperm has a five-day life span inside your body, if you have sex regularly for five days before, as well as on the day you ovulate — known as “the fertile window” — you have a higher chance of becoming pregnant.

People with irregular periods will have a more difficult time knowing when they’re ovulating and fertile.

The pull-out method isn’t an effective way to prevent pregnancy. If you do use it, then it may be helpful to haveemergency contraception (EC)在您的药柜里方便。

Emergency contraceptioncan help prevent pregnancy up to five days after having unprotected sex. That’s because it delays or prevents ovulation from happening in the first place.

This means your mature egg won’t be released in order to be fertilized. It makes more sense to just use more reliable protection to prevent pregnancy from happening in advance.

There are two types of EC available over-the-counter or through your doctor:

Hormonal EC pills

你可以采取hormonal未受保护性的紧急避孕药长达五天。当您在最初的72小时内将它们带走时，它们最有效。

Hormonal EC pills are safe to take, but, like birth control, come with some side effects. This includes:

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • breast tenderness
  • stomach pain
  • 头痛
  • dizziness
  • fatigue

You can purchase EC pills at your local drugstore. They can cost anywhere from $20 to $60, depending if you buy a generic or name-brand product.

如果您被保险，则可以致电医生并要求处方。EC药丸被认为是预防性护理，因此通常可以免费提供保险。

Emergency IUD contraception

The Copper-T is anintrauterine device (IUD)这也可以作为紧急避孕。Acc或者ding to普林斯顿大学, the Copper-T IUD can reduce your risk of becoming pregnant by more than 99 percent. This makes it more effective than hormonal EC pills.

Your doctor can insert the Copper-T IUD up to five days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. And as a form of long-term birth control, the Copper-T IUD can last foras long as 10 to 12 years。

尽管铜-T IUD比EC药丸更好，但插入的陡峭成本可能是障碍。如果您没有保险，那么在美国，价格可能在500到1000美元之间。大多数保险计划将免费或以降低的成本覆盖铜-T IUD。

Although the withdrawal method has been effective at times, there’s still a chance you may become pregnant from pre-cum. If you think you may be pregnant,you can take an at-home pregnancy test确定找出答案。

你可能想接受an at-home testright away, but that can be too soon. Most doctors recommend you wait until after the first day of your missed period to take a pregnancy test. For the most accurate result, though, you should wait until the week after your missed period to test.

Women who don’t have regular periods should wait to test until at least three weeks after having unprotected sex.

You should confirm your results with your doctor. Although a positive result is almost always accurate, a negative test result isn’t as reliable. You may have tested too early or are on medications that have affected the results.

Your doctor may have you take a urine test, blood test, or both to determine if you’re pregnant or not. If you are pregnant, make sure to speak with your doctor about your options.

您从前兼怀孕的机会可能很苗条，但仍然可以发生。精子仍然可以存在于尿道中，并与射精前释放的预兼兼兼兼兼兼精子。

If you use the withdrawal method, keep in mind that an estimated 14 to 24 percent of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year when using the withdrawal method, according to one2009 article。

如果您想避免怀孕，请选择一种更可靠的方法。考虑保留紧急避孕药以提供帮助。

See your doctor if you have any concerns or have a positive pregnancy test. Your doctor can walk you through your options for family planning, abortion, and future birth control.