If you’re reading this, chances are you’re interested in getting into booty play. There are tons of reasons why people want to try it. For one, you experience a whole different kind of pleasure than with vaginal sex, and it's exciting to mix things up in the bedroom from time to time. One question you may have, though: Can you get pregnant from anal sex?
There is no connection or passage between the rectal and vaginal canal, so anal sex itself won't result in pregnancy, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, MBA, an ob-gyn and WH advisor. Still, there are ways semen can end up in your uterus. (More on that later!)
That's not the only risk you should be worried about with anal sex. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are much more common with anal sex because the lining of the anus is thin and can be easily damaged. “The same bacteria and viruses that cause STIs can be passed into this area,” says Dr. Shepherd. “The symptoms of STIs can range from painful defecation, anal sores, or discharge.”
More From Women's Health
If you’re interested, you should still try anal sex, but just know that it’s not a form of birth control or way to avoid getting an STI. Here’s what you should know before exploring anal sex.
Meet the experts: Mary Jane Minkin, MD, is a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine. Jessica Shepherd, MD, MBA, is an ob-gyn and WH advisor.
Well...is it possible to get pregnant from anal sex?
Okay, not technically. Your anus isn’t connected to your reproductive organs after all, so anal sex wouldn’t directly lead to a baby. But at the same time...never say never. There are a few ways semen can still get inside your vagina.
1. If Semen Slips Out From the Anus
The vaginal and rectal openings are pretty close to each other, so it's definitely a possibility that some semen could slip into the vagina, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine.
“You’re not going to get a high concentration [of sperm], but you only need one sperm to get pregnant,” Dr. Minkin says. So while it’s very rare to get pregnant from anal, using it as a means of birth control is not 100 percent effective. Sorry.
In fact, about one in 200 women reported that they got pregnant without having vaginal sex, according to a survey published in the British Medical Journal, and though the report doesn't specify exactly how these women ended up pregnant, the pregnancies were likely the result of sperm somehow getting into the vagina unexpectedly. This may have occurred through sperm leaking from the anus into the vagina. Again, this is super rare, but hey, you never know.
2. If You're Alternating Anal and Vaginal Sex
It's also totally possible to get pregnant if your partner ejaculates in your anus but they began having sex in your vagina (you can't forget about pre-cum, the semen that comes out of the penis before ejaculation).
"Once there is access for the sperm to enter the vagina, then pregnancy can occur," says Dr. Shepherd. It might not seem like enough, but it can definitely result in pregnancy.
3. If There's After-play
Fingering or oral sex after your partner ejaculates in your butt can also potentially lead to pregnancy. While it is unlikely, smears of semen can be introduced into the vagina during post-anal sex play. The sperm "can travel from the vagina to the cervix and through the uterine cavity to the fallopian tubes, where conception occurs," Dr. Shepherd says.
How can you prevent pregnancy from anal sex?
The best way to minimize your chances is to not have penile-vaginal intercourse after anal sex without a condom, Dr. Shepherd says. "Sperm can still be present, and also, another ejaculation can potentially occur," she adds. For that reason, you'll also want to make sure you're using a new condom and not the same one you used during anal sex.
So, you're saying I should use condoms even during anal sex?
Yes, one million percent. While you want to use a condom to prevent pregnancy, it's also a smart move in general because you’re at an even greater risk of STIs when having anal sex, Dr. Minkin says.
“The lining of the anus is not designated to fight off infections,” Dr. Minkin explains. “Vaginal tissue in premenopausal women can do a much better job at fighting this off, as the vaginal lining is much tougher.”
Since the lining of the anus is much thinner than the vagina, it's much more vulnerable to tearing during sex. This allows viruses, like HIV, and bacteria to enter the bloodstream. “It's much easier to transmit HIV through anal sex,” Dr. Minkin says. “So if an HIV particle shows up, it is much easier to penetrate into the tissue than it is during vaginal sex.”
Women who had unprotected anal sex were 2.6 times as likely as women who had only unprotected vaginal sex and 4.2 times as likely as women who had neither unprotected anal nor unprotected vaginal sex to report an STI diagnosis, found a study in The American Journal of Public Health. So, wearing condoms during anal is definitely important and can lower your risk of STIs.
Using a condom can also help prevent other types of infections, such as UTIs. “Although there are plenty of bacteria in the vagina, there's even more in the anus,” says Dr. Minkin. The condom keeps the penis clean, so if you're ready to switch from anal to vaginal play, swapping it out with a new one ensures you're keeping bacteria from your rectum out of your vagina.
And while you're at it, don't skip out on the lube for anal sex: “If you don’t use it, you’ll have more tissue pulling apart, and if you have a break in skin, you’re even more vulnerable to infection,” Dr. Minkin explains.
The bottom line: There's an extremely small chance of pregnancy from unprotected anal sex. The bigger concern is getting an infection like HIV and STIs, so remember to use a condom.
