Sperm sticking to the skin, can it still make you pregnant?

You definitely know that a sperm that fertilizes an egg can cause pregnancy. However, many people still often wonder about how sperm can fertilize an egg. The reason is, pregnancy can occur even when a man ejaculates outside the vagina. So, it is possible for sperm to survive without having to be in the uterus. So, if sperm sticks to the skin, will sperm still live? Can it still cause pregnancy? Check out the following explanation.

How long do sperm cells survive when they stick to human skin?

Sperm cells live in male semen. The semen itself is the fluid that a man releases through the penis when he ejaculates. In the uterus, the sperm cells will separate from the semen and swim towards the egg. If you manage to meet an egg, the combination of the two will grow as a fetus.

If semen is produced outside the vagina and sticks to the skin, the sperm cells that are protected by this fluid can survive for a while. According to experts, sperm cells can survive on human skin in just a few minutes. Especially if your hands or skin is quite dry.

However, you can be sure that if the semen on the skin dries up, the sperm cells will also die and cannot cause pregnancy. However, if the semen is still wet and your skin temperature is warm and moist enough, the sperm's ability to survive increases. Some experts claim that in perfect conditions, where the skin surface is warm, moist, and the semen is still wet, sperm cells can live for up to 20 minutes.

Can you get pregnant if you have sperm stuck to your hands or other parts of your skin?

If semen sticks to the skin around the vagina (does not enter it), the chances of getting pregnant are very small. The reason is, sperm will not be able to flow into the uterus just like that.

However, the risk of getting pregnant remains after you masturbate with your partner. After masturbating, semen may stick to the hands. If hands and fingers that are still sticky with semen directly touch the vaginal opening without delay, this can lead to pregnancy. The reason is, the sperm cells that are still living on the surface of the skin of your fingers may move and enter the uterus through the vagina.

According to dr. David Delvin, a sexual health expert from the International Society for Sexual Medicine, the chances of getting pregnant because the sperm that still survive on this skin is very small. However, that does not mean that it is impossible.

So, to avoid pregnancy or transmission of venereal diseases, you should still use condoms even if they don't penetrate. Also, after ejaculating outside, immediately wipe any semen stuck to your or your partner's skin until it is completely dry. Also avoid touching the vagina directly after touching the ejaculating penis.

Factors that affect the sperm's ability to survive

The extent to which sperm survive outside the womb varies from person to person. This is influenced by risk factors such as an unhealthy lifestyle, smoking habits, drinking alcohol, obesity, consumption of certain drugs, and the quality of the sperm itself. The lower the quality of your sperm, the faster the sperm cells will die after ejaculation.