Can you get pregnant from anal sex?
Written by Karolina Wilde
Karolina Wilde
Karolina Wilde is a sex-positive writer and published author with six years of experience writing about sexual wellness and women's health. She worked with some of the biggest sexual wellness brands in the world and is passionate about the science of how our reproductive system, bodies, and sexuality work and helping people understand these topics better.
Fact checked by Dr. Erica Brondolin PhD, Scientist at Natural Cycles
Dr. Erica Brondolin PhD
Dr. Erica Brondolin obtained her PhD in particle physics from the Technical University of Vienna. Following a decade-long tenure at CERN, she transitioned to her current position as a Data Scientist at Natural Cycles. Dedicated to women's health, Erica specializes in women’s reproductive health research within her role at Natural Cycles.
Key Takeaways
- Technically, you can't get pregnant from the act of anal sex, but there is still a very low risk of pregnancy as semen can accidentally get into the vagina
- It's possible to contract sexually transmitted infections if you engage in unprotected anal sex
- Everyone can engage in anal sex and enjoy it, no matter their gender or sexual orientation — as with all types of sex, consent is important, and you should only do what feels good
Anal sex has been a taboo for many years, but people’s interest in anal sex has been growing – the number of young adults engaging in heterosexual anal intercourse has risen from around 10% to around 30% over recent decades [1]. One of the most popular questions people have about anal sex is whether or not you can get pregnant from anal sex. The answer is – no, but... it's complicated. In this article, we're going to take a closer look at what anal sex is, how to engage in it safely if you're curious and debunk some of the most common anal sex myths.
Did you enjoy reading this article?
