2 minutes read2 minutes readThere’s a lot to be worried about when you start having sex. There’s so much that you need to know in order to protect your health.
One subject that can be tricky to navigate is how to interact with semen. Many people seem to be uncertain about how good or bad semen is to touch and ingest.
In this blog, we will look at what semen is, whether ingesting semen can cause pregnancy, and the other factors to consider when dealing with semen.
What is semen?
Semen is male ejaculate that excretes from the tip of the penis during orgasm. The fluid contains spermatozoa (or “sperm”), which swim through the seminal fluid once discharged into the vagina. Sperm travel through the vagina and cervix into the uterus and then up the fallopian tubes, where they fertilise the female’s egg.
The terms “sperm” and “semen” are often used interchangeably when referring to male ejaculate, even though they technically refer to different things.
Is it OK to swallow semen?
From a nutritional standpoint, there is nothing harmful about ingesting semen. There are actually some suspected benefits to ingesting semen, including improved mental health.
However, it gets trickier when we start thinking about other areas of our health.
Can swallowing semen cause pregnancy?
No, swallowing semen will not cause pregnancy. The only way you can get pregnant is if semen enters the vagina. You also cannot get pregnant from anal sex.
Can you get an STI from swallowing semen?
While you can’t get pregnant from swallowing semen, you can get something else: an STI.
Many people believe that sexually transmitted infections can only be passed on during penetrative sex, but this isn’t the case. You can easily get an STI from oral sex, which includes swallowing semen.
How this works is pretty simple. STIs are infections that tend to be passed on through sex. However, many of these infections only require the presence of a mucous membrane or an open wound to be passed on. Such mucous membranes include those in the eyes, throat, rectum, and genitals.
In this fashion, infected bodily fluids that come in contact with these mucous membranes can pass on an infection. So, if infected semen comes in contact with the mucous membranes in your throat, it’s very possible that you will contract an infection.
What STIs can I get from swallowing semen?
It’s technically possible to get any number of STIs from swallowing semen. However, some are more likely than others.
STIs you can get from swallowing semen include:
Final thoughts
While you can’t get pregnant from swallowing semen, you can get other things, like STIs. You should take precautions when engaging in any kind of sexual activity and use contraception where possible. When performing oral sex, condoms and dental dams can be used to create a protective barrier between you and your partner to protect your health.
If you have swallowed semen and believe you may have been exposed to an STI, get tested today.
