by Nicola Appleton
Anal sex is just one type of sexual intercourse many couples try out in the course of their relationship. Whether it is already part of your sexual repertoire or something you’re considering experimenting with, you might have wondered whether it’s possible to get pregnant from anal intercourse.
The short answer is that it is highly unlikely to get pregnant from anal sex alone. However, health care providers warn that unprotected anal intercourse should never be relied upon as a form of contraception. Although it is rare, it’s possible to conceive via anal sex. This is because it only takes a tiny amount of semen to reach the vagina for conception to occur.
We turned to the experts to find out more about pregnancy from anal sex—and why birth control is still important.
Can Anal Sex Lead to Pregnancy?
When unprotected vaginal intercourse occurs between heterosexual couples, semen is released at the point of male ejaculation close to the cervix. Vaginal penetrative sex gives healthy, fertile couples the best chance of conceiving.
During anal intercourse, the penis penetrates the anal passage. At the point of male ejaculation during unprotected anal sex, semen might be deposited in the anus.
“I certainly can say that if 100% of the ejaculate from [one person] went into the anus, the [other person] would not conceive,” explains Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale University School of Medicine. This is because the anus is not connected to any of the reproductive organs.
However, if any semen enters the vagina at any point during sex, it is possible to become pregnant. This is because semen that enters the vagina can potentially travel to the cervix, into the uterus, and then on to fertilize the egg.
“With anal sex, it is possible that some of the ejaculate wouldn’t be deposited exclusively into the anus, and that some could make its way into the vagina,” explains Dr. Minkin. “So a pregnancy in that situation is not fully impossible.” For this reason, unprotected anal sex should not be used as a birth control method.
Additionally, sex that begins as vaginal penetrative sex and then moves on to the anus can leave you at risk of both pregnancy and the spread of infection. This is because, although unlikely, it is possible to become pregnant from pre-ejaculate, which is the small amount of liquid that is produced at the beginning of an erection. Meanwhile, swapping between anal and vaginal penetrative sex can spread bacteria, so it is important to use fresh protection if switching between the two.
