How Long Does Sperm Live Outside The Body? - Healthline

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How Long Can Sperm Survive After Ejaculation?Medically reviewed by Justin Choi, M.D. — Written by Ashley Marcin on May 1, 2017

Sperm near the body
Hot tubs and sperm
Spermicide
Sperm motility
Frozen sperm
Outlook

The length of time that sperm can stay alive ranges from a few days to several years. This depends on several factors, such as where it is ejaculated, how it is stored, and how fast it dries up.

If you’re having a procedure such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), keep in mind that washed sperm can last in an incubator for up to 72 hours. Frozen sperm may last for years, provided it’s left in a properly controlled environment.

Sperm that’s been ejaculated into a woman can live inside the uterus for 5 days. That’s why it’s possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex while menstruating. If you ovulate shortly after you finish your period, the sperm may still be alive and can fertilize the egg.

Learn more: Can you get pregnant if you have sex on your period? »

Keep reading to learn more about the lifespan of sperm as well as sperm motility. Also find out which urban legends about sperm and pregnancy are true and which are false.

Can you get pregnant if there’s semen near the vagina?

Yes, you can get pregnant if sperm is near the vagina and it hasn’t dried. You may have heard that oxygen kills sperm. This isn’t true. Sperm can move until dried.

For example, you may think you’re not at risk for pregnancy if you have unprotected anal sex. However, fresh sperm might leak and stay near the vaginal opening. If it stays moist, it could make its way up the vagina and through the cervix into the uterus to fertilize the egg.

While this scenario is possible, it isn’t likely to happen.

Can you get pregnant if a man ejaculates in a hot tub or bathtub?

It’s highly unlikely that pregnancy would occur if sperm had to travel through water into a woman’s body.

In the hot tub scenario, the temperature of the water or chemicals would kill the sperm in seconds.

In a bathtub filled with plain warm water, the sperm may live up to a few minutes. Still, it would need to quickly enter the vagina after traveling through all that water. Then it would need to go through the cervix and then on into the uterus.

Getting pregnant in this case is highly unlikely to impossible.

Does spermicide kill sperm?

Spermicides are a type of birth control you can use with or without condoms. They come in many different forms, including:

cream
gel
foam
suppository

Spermicides don’t kill sperm. Instead, they stop the semen from moving, which decreases sperm motility. The woman applies it near her cervix so the sperm can’t enter into the uterus.

When you use spermicide correctly and consistently along with male condoms, it’s 98 percent effective. With typical use, it’s 85 percent effective. Female condoms with spermicides are 70 to 90 percent effective.

Without condoms, spermicide isn’t considered an effective form of birth control since it typically fails about 28 percent of the time to prevent pregnancy. Even when used correctly and consistently, spermicide alone is only 82 percent effective.

Shop: Purchase creams, gels, and foams. Also shop for condoms.

Read more: Do spermicide condoms work? »

What role does sperm motility play in pregnancy?

Once ejaculation occurs during intercourse, the sperm travels from the vagina through the cervix and into the uterus. From there, contractions of your uterus help pull the sperm toward your fallopian tubes.

The first of the sperm may enter your tubes in just minutes. The closer you are to ovulation, the easier the journey becomes for the sperm.

In order for pregnancy to occur, your cervical mucus must be favorable. Mucus that’s egg-white in consistency is best. If your cervical mucus is thick or dry, the journey is much more difficult.

Many couples worry about sperm count when trying to conceive, but that’s only part of the male fertility equation.

The term “sperm motility” refers to the ability of the sperm to swim the right way. Motility may matter as much as sperm count when it comes to getting pregnant. If the sperm can’t make the journey to the egg, pregnancy won’t occur.

Several things may impact a man’s sperm motility, including:

stress levels
excessive heat
certain medications
poor diet

If motility is a factor in infertility, there are several options couples may explore. IUI directly places sperm inside the woman’s uterus so it doesn’t need to swim from the vagina through the cervix.

With IVF, sperm is introduced to the egg for fertilization in a lab before being placed back inside the woman’s uterus.

Sometimes doctors do what’s called an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where the sperm is injected into the egg as part of the IVF procedure.

What’s the role of frozen sperm in IUI and IVF?

You may use fresh or frozen sperm with both IUI and IVF. You may choose to use frozen sperm for these procedures for a number of reasons, including using donor sperm and preserving fertility for a male who has cancer.

According to the Sperm Bank of California, thawing sperm is as easy as waiting 30 minutes for it to reach room temperature. From there, the sperm should be warmed to body temperature either in your hand or under your arm. Once sperm is thawed, it can’t be refrozen.

While frozen sperm can last a very long time, some believe its integrity may be compromised after thawing. Studies show, though, that frozen sperm may be just as effective as fresh sperm at achieving pregnancy, at least when using IVF and ICSI.

Outlook

How long sperm lives depends on the conditions it’s exposed to. Many of the myths you’ve heard about getting pregnant in hot tubs or from surfaces don’t hold up.

That said, sperm does live longer when it’s kept moist. It’s possible, but unlikely, to get pregnant even if sperm is ejaculated near the vaginal opening. If it’s ejaculated inside the vagina, it may only take a few minutes to travel to the egg.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Amy at PlannedParenthood. (2010). Can you get pregnant in a hot tub if you’re not having sex?https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/ask-experts/can-you-get-pregnant-in-a-hot-tub-if-you-e2-80-99re-not-having-sex
Cayan S, et al.(2001). A comparison of ICSI outcomes with fresh and cryopreserved epididymalspermatozoa from the same couples. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/16.3.495
Conception: How it works.(n.d.).https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/conception_how_it_works
Condoms/spermicides. (n.d.).https://srhr.org/postpartumfp/methods/condoms-spermicides
FAQs. (n.d.).http://www.corionfertilityclinic.com/faqs.php
Fresh or frozensperm for IVF? (2016).https://www.columbiafertility.com/fresh-or-frozen-sperm-for-ivf
How to inseminate.(n.d.).https://www.thespermbankofca.org/how-to-inseminate
Lindemann C. (n.d.). Mechanisms of sperm motility:Frequently asked questions.https://files.oakland.edu/users/lindeman/web/faq.htm
Mayo Clinic Staff.(2016). How to get pregnant.https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/how-to-get-pregnant/art-20047611
Omurtag K, et al.(2013). Sperm recovery and IVF after testicular sperm extraction (TESE): Effectof male diagnosis and use of off-site surgical centers on sperm recovery andIVF. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069838
Spermicide.(n.d.).https://www.bedsider.org/methods/spermicide
Trost L. (2018).How long do sperm live after ejaculation?https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/expert-answers/pregnancy/faq-20058504
Trying to getpregnant. (2018).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/getting-pregnant

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Medically reviewed by Justin Choi, M.D. — Written by Ashley Marcin on May 1, 2017

How Long Does Sperm Live Outside The Body? - Healthline

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Sexual Health

Can you get pregnant if there’s semen near the vagina?

Can you get pregnant if a man ejaculates in a hot tub or bathtub?

Does spermicide kill sperm?

What role does sperm motility play in pregnancy?

What’s the role of frozen sperm in IUI and IVF?

Outlook

How we reviewed this article:

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