Can you get pregnant from fingering?

If your first sexual experiences are with a member of the opposite sex, it’s quite normal to worry about getting pregnant. Worries about whether you can get pregnant from fingering or from sperm on someone’s hands are some of the most common. A member of our community recently got in touch to ask us about this, read on to see what we had to say and get the facts.

Is it possible to get pregnant from fingering?

“I feel a bit silly asking this, but I’d like to be reassured anyway. My boyfriend and I have decided not to have sex yet, but we have been doing other stuff, like touching and kissing. We worked out a system where he would wash his hands before fingering me, so this way I wouldn’t be scared of getting pregnant. The last time we fooled around, though, I allowed him to finger me without him washing his hands. I’m just a bit worried that he might have brushed his hands against his pants, which were damp from his precum. Is it possible that a girl could get pregnant this way?”

There is a risk of pregnancy if sperm comes into contact with the vagina in any way, including from sperm on fingers, so this wasn’t a silly question to ask at all. Be reassured, though, that it’s unlikely that sperm could pass through material onto your boyfriend’s hands.

Can you get pregnant if you wipe sperm inside you

So in most situations it’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant from fingering. But what about if you wipe sperm inside you? Well, as we’ve said, if sperm comes into contact with the vagina at all there is a risk, and wiping sperm inside you even by accident would certainly increase that risk. In this case, as you’ve mentioned your partner washes their hands, it’s unlikely there’s any chance you’re wiping sperm inside you.

How long does sperm live on the hands after being washed?

If your partner’s hands have been washed and dried thoroughly, it’s unlikely any sperm will survive, so there’s hardly any risk of pregnancy. Sperm are pretty particular about the environment they need to survive and can only live for a couple of hours outside the body. In less than ideal conditions, for example in contact with hot or cold water, sperm will die much more quickly.

Can you get pregnant from precum?

It is important to remember that the penis leaks a few drops of semen (liquid containing sperm) as soon as it is hard. This is called pre-ejaculate, or precum. Precum means there is a risk of pregnancy if the penis enters the vagina, even if the man doesn’t ejaculate.

From the situation you describe, it doesn’t sound like there’s a risk of pregnancy, but if you think that sperm may have come into contact with your vagina, it’s best to get checked out just in case. If you are concerned about this and it happened within the last five days, you should seek advice on emergency contraception as soon as possible. Find out more about the morning after pill here.

If you are worried about pregnancy, or anything to do with sex and relationships, you might find it helpful to chat to your doctor (GP) or nurse at your nearest Brook Centre about it. If you’re thinking about starting a sexual relationship you could also talk to them about your contraception choices.

If you’re concerned about pregnancy, this article might be of interest.

Questions or concerns about sex and pregnancy? Why not ask the community on our Discussion Boards?