Contents:
- Medical Video: Sperm Count | Nucleus Health
- Long sperm lives outside the body
- So, how long do sperm live in a woman's body?
- Can you get pregnant if there is semen near the vagina?
- Can you get pregnant if a man ejaculates in a swimming pool?
Medical Video: Sperm Count | Nucleus Health
Sperm is designed to move quickly toward the egg so that fertilization occurs. When ejaculating, men will excrete semen with sperm contents. This semen which then makes sperm survive longer to reach the egg. So, how long do sperm live if they are outside the body? Are sperm able to survive?
Long sperm lives outside the body
Long sperm live outside the body for about 20-60 minutes. This indicates that the sperm is able to live and survive anywhere during this duration of time. After the sperm comes out of the body, the possibility of being affected by the surrounding environment is very large. This makes sperm useless when the semen has dried after ejaculation.
Usually sperm will not last long when semen begins to dry out, especially on a fast absorbing surface such as clothes or sandals. The length of sperm life also depends on light, air, environmental factors, and how fast the sperm dries.
But no need to worry for those of you who undergo artificial insemination or IVF. Although spilled from the body, sperm will be stored in a suitable place so that it will not make it die. Frozen sperm can live life indefinitely, provided it is left in a well-controlled environment.
So, how long do sperm live in a woman's body?
In a perfect environment in a woman's body, sperm can survive for five days. This is why it is still possible to get pregnant if you have sexual intercourse without a condom during menstruation. If you ovulate immediately after you have finished menstruation, sperm may still be alive and can fertilize the egg.
However, generally sperm will die in the first days after entering the vagina because they cannot survive.
Sperm will start swimming after being stored in the woman's vagina, then move through the cervix to reach the uterus. What's more, a woman's body produces mucus to make it easier for them to swim to find eggs. Sperm can swim in a woman's body for 4-5 hours.
Can you get pregnant if there is semen near the vagina?
Although the possibility of pregnancy is very small, if semen is attached to the vagina and not yet dry. Sperm can move dry. For example, you might think you are not at risk of getting pregnant if you have anal sex without a condom.
Fresh sperm can leak and be near the vaginal opening. If it remains moist, the ability of sperm to survive also increases. This can make way to enter the vagina and through the cervix to the uterus to fertilize the egg.
Can you get pregnant if a man ejaculates in a swimming pool?
It is very unlikely that pregnancy will occur if the sperm has to travel through water to a woman's body. In a hot tub, the temperature of water or chemicals will kill sperm in seconds.
In a bathtub filled with ordinary warm water, sperm can live up to several minutes. However, the possibility of sperm in a water bath will find their way inside a woman's body and cause her to become very low in pregnancy.
