17 Shocking Ways You Could Actually Get Pregnant

Ah, the gift of life. With so many sexually active and fertile individuals on the planet, you’d think that most of them would be well aware of what it takes to create a baby. Yes, almost all of them are aware that when the sperm cell meets the egg cell, a baby can be formed. But unfortunately, there are a lot more ways for those two cells to meet than most people know.

Just so you know, this info comes from Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, who is a reproductive health professor from Yale School of Medicine.

1. Using force to open condoms.

Teeth, scissors, or a razor blade. Keep those away from condoms as they can accidentally puncture the condoms without you knowing. Those notches in the packaging are there for a reason!

2. Using old condoms.

While not expired, if the condom’s been in your wallet or exposed to either hot or cold temperatures, they’re definitely less effective.

3. Oil-based lubes plus condoms.

Oil-based lubricants can degrade latex condoms, and can cause tiny, near-invisible holes. They’re near invisible, but big enough for sperm to get through.

4. Forgetting to leave room at the tip of the condom.

When he spills his load inside a condom without that extra allowance at the end, his sperm can spill out through the sides.

5. Relying on the calendar method.

Even if you’re not ovulating on a certain day, sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days. So if you ovulate within 5 days of having unprotected sex, you just might get pregnant.

6. That 1% in other contraceptives.

The pill, IUDs, diaphragms, cervical caps, and all those other forms of birth control don’t have a 100% guarantee. Even without missing a single day of your pill or regularly replacing your cervical cap, there’s still that tiny chance you might get knocked up.

7. If you don’t take the morning after pill immediately.

It’s 95% effective in the first 24 hours, but your chances of success go way down after that.

8. Vasectomies aren’t instant.

Vasectomies don’t immediately take effect. To be on the safe side, it’s best to do a follow-up semen analysis with the urologist to make sure he’s in the clear.

9. Neither is tubal ligation.

There’s still a 1% chance of getting pregnant even after you get your tubes tied.

10. Dry humping, even with undies on.

Just one wrong (or right) swivel of the hips can cause a man’s semen to seep through his boxers and your undies, and up into the vagina.

11. Getting frisky in the water.

Unlikely, but still possible. Even when you’re just playing around, just getting a little semen around the vulva can be enough to get some sperm inside you.

12. When he uses his fingers after he’s touched himself.

Maybe he gave himself a little tug or he used his hand to wipe himself off after finishing, there’s still that chance his little swimmers can be transferred inside you.

13. Going for round 2 without protection.

When a man ejaculates, not all the sperm cells will exit his body. Some might still be lodged in the urethra. One way to lessen the odds is by asking your man to pee after the previous round. But even then, that’s not a guarantee.

14. Through the back door.

Semen can be deposited at the vaginal opening, which is very, very close to the anus. That’s close enough for those sperm cells to travel into the vagina.

15. Even when you’re on your period.

Sperm cells can survive inside you (yes, even with all the blood in there) for up to 5 days, ladies! So even if you have sex at the height of your period, those sperm cells can still fertilize you if you start ovulating within 5 days.

16. Having sex while breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding isn’t an automatic guarantee that you can’t get pregnant. While breastfeeding can help suppress ovulation, it’s still not a sure sign that you won’t ovulate.

17. When you’re already pregnant.

Superfetation is a very rare phenomenon when a woman is pregnant, and yet she still continues to ovulate. Egg cell number two can still be fertilized!

This list is enough to make anyone paranoid, for sure. But still, if you keep all these tips in mind and practice safe sex all the time, you’re drastically lowering the odds of you getting pregnant. So get out there, have fun, but stay safe!