Pregnancy usually seems fairly simple, right chomas? When a male and female have unprotected vaginal sex, there is a high chance that the woman will become pregnant and have a baby. While this is basically how pregnancy occurs, there are myths and misunderstandings around pregnancy that make it a little more complicated.

Here’s a look at some of these misconceptions to help you get an even better understanding of pregnancy.

The Basics

Pregnancy is more likely to come about when a guy has unprotected sex with a woman. . When the guy ejaculates into the female’s vagina, the sperm will travel up the vagina to the fallopian tubes (the tubes along which eggs travel from the ovaries to the uterus). If the woman has ovulated and an egg has been released from her ovaries into the fallopian tubes, pregnancy will most likely occur.  In most cases a woman becomes pregnant because there was no contraceptive method used (e.g. no condom or other form of birth control, such as the pill).

Although it’s unlikely, pregnancy can still occur even when you’re on contraceptives. It might happen in cases where the condom breaks or if other forms of birth control are not taken properly.

Pregnancy and non-vaginal sex

So there are questions about whether it is possible to get pregnant if the penis doesn’t actually enter the vagina. Here’s a look at some of these scenarios:

• Dry Humping (‘Sex’ with clothes on)

This is where you rub your genitals against someone else’s genitals but while you both still have clothes on. In this situation it’s unlikely for pregnancy to occur because it would be difficult for sperm to through clothing.

• ‘Thigh Sex’

Thigh sex is the type of sex where a guy doesn’t actually insert his penis into a woman’s vagina but presses his penis between her thighs instead. Some couples have this type of sex if a woman is not ready to have penetrative sex, if there is no contraceptive (such as a condom) or if a woman’s vagina is not lubricated enough. These are just a few known reasons for thigh sex. When it comes to thigh sex, there is actually a slight risk of becoming pregnant. Even if a guy ejaculates near the vagina, and not necessarily in it, there is a chance that the sperm will still travel up the vagina.

• ‘Fingering’

If a guy inserts his fingers up a girls vagina without there being any sperm or pre-cum on his finger, then it would be impossible to get pregnant. Without sperm getting into the vagina, pregnancy won’t happen. 

• Oral Sex

Oral sex doesn’t lead to pregnancy either. Just like with the above point, sperm needs to get into the vagina for pregnancy to occur. However, you do risk contracting STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) when you engage in oral sex. So while it’s not a risk for falling pregnant, you are still at risk for infection if you’re not protecting yourself.

Pregnancy may be straightforward for the most part, but there are certain situations where you might be more at risk of falling pregnant than you think. If you’re reading this and wondering if you are in fact pregnant, click here for the article on signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

Do you have questions around pregnancy? You can ask me in the comment section or send me a personal message in the Ask Choma section.