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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

Guide (reply to Anonymous)

Hello Anonymous,

Your girlfriend was not at risk of becoming pregnant when you were making out with clothes on.

If she has a history of irregular menstrual cycles, she should consider scheduling an appointment with a gynecologist.

Often, birth control pills are prescribed to help regulate the menstrual cycle. It would offer her the added bonus of protection against an unwanted pregnancy.

Regards,
Maryann

April 4, 2017 - 8:05am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Maryann Gromisch RN)

There was this one time where i was peeing and had some precum on the tip of my penis. which i touched with my fingers but i washed my hands with tap water and dried it on my shirt. I fingered my gf after 2 minutes is she at risk of pregnant?

April 4, 2017 - 9:16am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

hi
i had sex with my bf and after that i took an i-pill within an hour but the semen was drippig so some stayed in my underwear. is there any chance of getting pregnent ?

March 19, 2017 - 1:45pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi,me and my gf were making out.I ejaculated in between her abdomen and pelvis.is there is any risk that sperm can get through her vagina??bt when I ejaculated ,at the moment only she went to bathroom and washed the sperm from her body.I want to know that is there is any risk of pregnancy..plz reply fast.

March 18, 2017 - 4:41am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi,me and my gf were making out.We both were wearing our underwear(cotton).for the 1st time when we are making out i ejaculate inside my underwear and then we both stopped.But after 10 mins we again started making out and we also rubbed each other while wearing our underwears.and when we finished,i found out that there was still precum was there on my underwear.is there is any chance that my sperm can go through her underwear.there is any chance of pregnancy??.plz reply fast.plz!!??

March 18, 2017 - 4:27am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Thank you! I was telling you that I'm feeling stressed out because I had dry sex with my boyfriend about a week ago. Long story short: he was "pretending" to penetrate me but that wasn't possible, since I was wearing shorts and underwear (i guess I felt him BARELY get in, we're talking about millimeters here). He wasn't wearing anything and he barely did it for like 15 seconds since I was nervous because he was not wearing clothes.

He did not ejaculate and he says he didn't even have pre cum at that point (the fact that I didn't see if he had pre cum makes me nervous). My underwear was wet (my shorts were not but it makes me nervous that I maybe I didn't notice ??) but I think it was because of my own fluids.

Anyway I'm a few days late but I have Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome so that happens a lot, ESPECIALLY when I'm stressed out, so I think my anxiousness about wanting to get my period is delaying it (it has happened before) so I just want someone to reassure me that it's completely impossible so I can relax.

March 16, 2017 - 9:34pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Please reply I'm the one who posted the long comment it hasn't been aproved yet

March 15, 2017 - 3:12pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

We had dry sex last Feb 25 both of us wearing underwear. Last march 6 we had sex with condom my last period starts Feb 9 I supposed to have my period now. Am I pregnant?

March 11, 2017 - 9:24pm
Guide (reply to Anonymous)

Hello Anonymous,

Since you had sex with a condom, you should not have been at risk for becoming pregnant.

Maryann

March 13, 2017 - 9:56am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi
I've been having a horrible smell and discharge over the past 2 days my period is due in a week and 3/4 days but I have lower stomach bloting I know it's part of pms but it's scaring me because me and my bf have been making out with our clothes on recently but I know you can't get pregnant without penetration and I always get the feeling I'm pregnant idk why was like this last month and got my period 2 day earlier I was relieved
I have asked my bf did he cum or anything that's how bad and scared I am

February 22, 2017 - 12:50pm
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