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Answers for Women: Am I Pregnant After Dry Sex, Making Out with Clothes On?

 
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We are glad you found EmpowHER! A common question has been asked: Am I pregnant if I make out with a boy, while wearing clothes? Can I be pregnant without penetration (intercourse)?

There is so much misinformation about sex, and usually the limited information that is given resorts to using scare tactics, so much to where young women are afraid that when they merely look at a boy, or touch a towel that a boy has touched, that this could result in pregnancy!

Please know that becoming pregnant does not just "occur". Sperm must somehow enter the vagina in order to conceive; genitals must touch other genitals, or ejaculatory fluid must come into contact with a woman's vulva. Otherwise, there is no risk of pregnancy.

If you are wearing clothes or otherwise "making out", a congratulations is in order, as you are engaging in "safer sex" practices, which means you were able to express your physical or sexual feelings without putting yourself at increased risk for pregnancy. You can find more information below that pertains to your specific situation, based on our most commonly asked questions.

I missed my period and must be pregnant after making out or being sexual with my partner.
Late Period Fact: It is common for women to be late --or even miss a period entirely--for no "apparent" reason. Our ovulation and menstrual cycles do vary from month-to-month, and can change due to recent illness, new medication, excess stress. There are also medical reasons that women may stop menstruating, and can be evaluated by your doctor (doctors are not usually concerned if you are not experiencing any problematic symptoms until you have missed three periods in-a-row, called amenorrhea).

I am afraid of pregnancy because I did sexual things with my partner while wearing clothes, and I read that women can still become pregnant since clothes and cotton are porous (have holes).
Clothing Fact: Yes, our clothing, and specifically our cotton underwear, are porous. and, it is true that sperm are strong swimmers, but they can't swim through clothes. Sperm are strong swimmers only in liquid: specifically semen and vaginal secretions. Outside the bod, sperm are actually very fragile. Once semen is absorbed into the fabric of your clothes, they die.

Please know in regards to wearing clothes during physical intimacy: what is possible is some ejaculate could spill over the underwear, around the panty line, and possibly get near the vagina. Men's underwear that are not form-fitting can "leak" sperm, so the important thing to remember when "wearing" clothes: they are actually covering up your genitals, the underwear is not pushed to the side, and no fluid is leaking from the side of the underwear.

"Dry Humping" Fact: The term used when you are "going through the motions" of sex and rubbing bodies together, while wearing clothing is called "Outercourse" or "dry humping" because there are no bodily fluids (vaginal secretions or semen) that come into contact with your or your partner's genitals. Click on hyperlink to read more about Outercourse.

I touched some semen on the bed sheet, and want to know if I could get pregnant from this
Sperm Fact: Sperm can live three to five days when inside a woman's vagina during her most fertile time. Sperm can only live when they are in a liquid - like semen or in vaginal fluids- and do not survive long outside the body (including on sheets, towels, etc).

I made out with my boyfriend, and any possible sperm that got in me was quickly washed away after I went to the bathroom.
"Washing Away" Semen Fact: Showers do not wash out sperm that is already inside the vagina, same with urinating, as the urine would only wash away what is inside the urinary tract (semen would have entered into a separate opening, your vagina, and not your urethra).

I have wet spots from my partner's "cum" on the inside of my underwear and jeans, even though we were both wearing clothes.
Self-Lubrication Fact: Your being "wet" could be from your own lubrication, as your partner's semen would most likely not penetrate through multiple layers of clothing (and it would not be able to get you pregnant; see above). Any wetness is from your own vaginal secretions and is perfectly normal when you are sexually aroused.

We hope these answers to the most commonly asked questions were helpful for you and your specific situation! If you are ever in doubt, please talk with your health care provider about birth control options if you choose to be sexually active, and wear a condom during sexual activity (even if penetration or intercourse is not planned). Continue making safer sex choices!

Add a Comment280 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

thank you soo much for your information in fact I have a question me and my bf were rubbing against each other for a couple of minutes he was rubbing against my vagina there's no ejaculation before during or after, is there any possibility of getting pregnant if soo is it a big probability or its nothing to worry about?

Again thank you soo much! Waiting for your reply

May 13, 2011 - 11:40pm
(reply to Anonymous)

No, without ejaculation, there is no chance of pregnancy.

If you choose to do this again, it is important that your boyfriend wears a condom from the moment is penis becomes erect. It is too risky to have his penis touching your vagina, as he could ejaculate suddenly without having enough time to pull away from you. It is also too easy in the "heat of the moment" for you both to decide to put his penis into your vagina ("just for a minute to see what it feels like") and then this is unprotected sex.

May 15, 2011 - 7:53am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hey i have a question, if i wasnt wearing clothes and my boyfiend was kind of, like he had pants and underwear on but his pants were unbuttoned and unzipped and pulled down a little, and we were rubbing against each other.. could i get pregnant from this, i know he cummed and some got on my leg, right between my upper vagina and my thigh and may have leaked down to my vagina, could i be pregnant?

May 8, 2011 - 7:42pm
(reply to Anonymous)

If your boyfriend's pants were pulled down...he wasn't really wearing pants, right? If he ejaculated and still had underwear on, but it spilled out over his underwear or spilled out through any openings of his underwear, this would not count as "wearing" any clothing.

If ejaculatory fluid spilled out onto your leg and your thigh, you would not be able to become pregnant from this. If enough ejaculatory fluid actually got near your vaginal opening, there is a slight risk of pregnancy.

However, I'm assuming what you meant by your "upper vagina" is actually vulva or labia, in which case there would not be a chance of pregnancy (again, unless the semen was significant enough in quantity to spill over onto/near your vaginal opening).

May 8, 2011 - 6:57pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi Anonymous,

There is no way that sperm will absorb through clothing. You can relax that 'dry humping' will not make you pregnant. I hope this helps.

Missie

May 8, 2011 - 11:22am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

thank you very much!!
A question more, which could be the reason that no menstruation?, could be my nerves?
thanks again.

May 12, 2011 - 12:18pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

hi, your information is great, but i have a question for you...my boyfriend and me were making out just with his clothes on... i was up to him but there was never penetration neither ejaculacion. however, I am worried. Is there any chance of being pregnant?

May 8, 2011 - 9:27am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

My bf and i were making out with our clothes on. He was wearing his boxers and jeans and i was wearing thick pijama pants and underwear and a very thin pad, not because i was on my period nor because im expecting it, in fact i finished my last period around 8 days ago, however i thought that in case he ejaculates i wud make it harder for sperm to swim thru. After we made out with clothes on i repeat, he went to the bathroom and noticed that he has ejaculated on his boxerbriefs but he said that the jeans were safe. Anyways there was nothing on my pj's nor on my underwear nor anywhere near my vagina. The pad was perfectly clean from the outside. But the thing is that when he entered the bathroom he put a tissue in his boxers to prevent cum from swimming thru. Then he held my hand. After he left (10 minutes later) i went to pee and used the same hand he touched to grab a tissue and wipe my pee. Then i remembered and asked him he said he didnt touch anything he just put the tissue. I didnt feel anything sticky nor wet on my hands but im assuming sperm is invisible so it might have been on my hand. Is there any risk of being pregnant? Im expecting my period in 2 weeks and im having white discharges but in extremely little amounts (the usual amount of discharges i get/ nothing unusual).
Thank you, i await your reply. Im really concerened because im from the middle east and around here issues like this are neber tolerated. Im so worried. Thanks again.

April 13, 2011 - 2:19pm
(reply to Anonymous)

You would not be able to become pregnant from holding his hand (that may/may not have sperm) and then using the bathroom 10 minutes later. You can stop worrying!

April 26, 2011 - 8:29pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Thanks for all the information! ^^

February 12, 2011 - 8:19pm
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