Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Maternal (Expert Forum)
How long does sperm live outside the body?
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
How long does sperm live outside the body?
by Daren__0, Jan 19, 1999 12:00AM
: : How long does sperm live outside the body. Specifically I have the following questions:
: : - If sperm is dry to the touch, say on a finger or on sheets, is it dead?
: : - I have read different places that sperm needs a moist warm enviornment to survive. What constitutes a moist warm enviornment. Does a bathtub constitute a moist warm enviornment? Can sperm survice in water such as in a bathtub? Can sperm survive on a "damp towel" that is used to clean up sperm after an ejaculation?
: : - Can sperm survive in a woman's mouth and for how long, technically a moist warm enviornment? What if you ejaculate or get pre-*** in a woman's mouth, deep kiss, and then perform oral sex on her, can she get pregnant?
: : - Can sperm from an ejaculation go through clothes?
: : - How long does sperm live in the open air.
: : Does anyone know anyone that has become pregnant without having intercourse?
: Dear Darren:
: Sperm are living cells. They remain healthy within a small range of temperature, moisture, molarity (content of salt and other chemicals in the moisture) and acidity. Sperm which have become totally dry, which have become immeshed into fabric, which have been exposed to destructive forces such as the enzymes in saliva, the heat, soapiness, or lack of balanced salt content in bathwater are unlikely to survive (continue to swim) for longer than minutes.
: Pregnancy can occur without intercourse if sperm-rich ejaculate in deposited near the entrance to the vagina: this is a poor way to become pregnant but it has happened.
: Keywords: sperm survival
: This information is provided for education purposes only and is not amedical consultation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your physician.
Can sperm from an ejaculation go through clothes, specifically jeans and panties, and impregnate your parter?
Dear Darren:
I have no scientific information about the ability of sperm to penetrate jeans and panties. My opinion is that this would not happen: the sperm cells would become entrapped in the weave, dry, and die.
