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Sex without penetration: What it is and 8 ways to explore

Jen on the roof terrace at Natural Cycles headquarters.

Written by Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray is an award-winning writer with more than five years’ experience covering reproductive topics ranging from birth control to planning pregnancy. She is passionate about providing women with accurate information grounded in science they can use to take charge of their own health - while also dispelling myths that exist within the field of women’s health. She holds a Master of Science from the University of Edinburgh and currently lives in Ireland.

Medically reviewed by Jack Pearson, Medical Affairs Manager at Natural Cycles

Jack Pearson

Dr. Jack Pearson is a previously HCPC registered Embryologist with a PhD in reproductive medicine. Prior to joining Natural Cycles leading Medical Affairs, he worked for more than 10 years in a clinical setting working at some of the busiest fertility clinics in the UK. Today he spends most of his time working with experts at the world’s leading institutions to carry out important research with the vision to further the field of female health. He earned his PhD from the University of Sheffield specializing in Sperm Metabolism and currently lives in London.

Key takeaways:

  • Not all sex involves penetration, in fact, there are many types of non-penetrative sex
  • Non-penetrative sex has many benefits, such as helping you learn more about your body and making sex more enjoyable for those who find penetration painful or uncomfortable
  • Abstaining from penetrative sex during the fertile window can also be useful for those looking to prevent pregnancy naturally

If you’re looking for some ways to mix things up between the sheets, then look no further than these eight ways to have sex without penetration. Non-penetrative sex has many benefits, including prioritizing pleasure and helping us get to know our bodies better, plus, abstaining from intercourse is a useful option on fertile days for those of us who are preventing pregnancy naturally. Read on to learn more…

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