Can You Get Pregnant Without Having Sex? The Complete Guide to Conception

Whether you’re in a same-sex relationship, trying to conceive but struggling with infertility or just plain curious, you might be wondering: Can you get pregnant without having sex? The short answer is yes, you can conceive without having sexual intercourse—though some methods are much more likely to result in a baby than others. The pregnancy rates definitely depend on whether we’re talking about assisted reproductive technology (ART) or a so-called splash pregnancy. Below, experts dive into what’s possible (and definitely what’s not) when it comes to getting pregnant without having sex.

Key Takeaways

• You can get pregnant without sex, but success varies by method. Assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine inception (IUI) enable conception without intercourse. IVF has the higher success rate and is often recommended for blocked tubes, significant sperm issues, genetic concerns or after failed IUI attempts.
• At-home insemination (intracervical insemination) is a lower-cost option that uses unwashed sperm. With the use of a DIY kit, you can place sperm at the cervix; success rates can be comparable to intercourse when timed to ovulation. For donor sperm, choosing from a screened sperm bank is the safest option.
• Pregnancy without penetration is possible but rare. “Splash pregnancy,” pre-ejaculate or semen transfer via fingers or sex toys can very rarely lead to conception. Sperm doesn’t survive long outside the body, and conception cannot happen via a toilet seat, hot tub or pool won’t cause pregnancy.

Intentional Ways to Get Pregnant Without Intercourse

Most of the intentional ways to get pregnant without intercourse involve assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Learn more about each method below.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

IUI is a procedure where washed sperm are placed directly into a person’s uterus using a catheter during the fertile window. It’s commonly used by same-sex couples, couples dealing with unexplained or mild infertility and single parents by choice. It’s only an option if a semen analysis is normal and the fallopian tubes are not blocked.

In vitro fertilization (IVF)

IVF is a multi-step process where an egg is fertilized by sperm in a lab— aka a “petri dish”—and the resulting embryo is transferred to the uterus. It’s recommended for individuals or couples dealing with blocked fallopian tubes, recurrent pregnancy loss or moderate to severe sperm abnormalities (as determined by a sperm analysis). IVF is also an option for couples whose children are at risk of genetic diseases, as well as people who have had several unsuccessful IUI cycles.

Some people (such as older couples, who may have a harder time getting pregnant due to genetic abnormalities in their eggs or sperm) skip IUI and move directly to IVF, since it has a significantly higher success rate. “There’s a shorter distance for egg and sperm to meet,” explains Kimberly Keefe Smith, MD, an ob-gyn at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Though IVF is more efficient, it’s also more invasive, she adds, so it’s a discussion for hopeful future parents to have with their providers.

At-home insemination

An at-home insemination kit is a less invasive and lower-cost option. Sperm—a partner’s or a donor’s—is inserted into the vagina at the cervix using a syringe. Unlike IUI, where sperm is washed, sperm will be unwashed, or contain seminal fluid (proteins and sugars that help the sperm pass through the cervical mucus and swim up to the fallopian tubes).

This option, also known as intracervical insemination, “can be safe if used properly and may yield comparable success rates to intercourse,” says Mohamad Irani, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine. A sperm bank is the safest option for donor sperm, since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) usually tests for infectious diseases that can be passed through ejaculate.

Unintentional Ways to Get Pregnant Without Penetrative Sex

The following details some ways you can technically get pregnant without having preventative sex—but keep in mind the odds of conception with each of these are very low.

Splash pregnancy

A splash pregnancy is when ejaculation occurs near the vaginal opening without penetration. It is technically possible for sperm to swim up the vagina, through the uterus, and up to the fallopian tube to fertilize an egg, but the odds are very low. “Sperm can only survive outside the body for a short period,” Irani explains. “It’s unlikely they’ll reach the cervix and fallopian tubes to fertilize an egg and achieve a pregnancy.”

Pre-ejaculate

While pre-ejaculate (sometimes called precum) itself doesn’t contain sperm, it can pick up residual sperm from a previous ejaculation on its way out of the urethra, Smith explains. It also isn’t possible to know whether pre-ejaculate has entered the vagina during sex—which is why the pull-out method is not an effective form of birth control. “Women usually don’t feel it, and men are not always aware of it,” Irani says.

Other scenarios

In theory, it’s possible to get pregnant by transferring sperm via fingers or shared sex toys. In reality, the odds are extremely low, Smith notes, since the sperm must still be viable and make its way up to the fallopian tubes to fertilize an egg. Remember, sperm can’t survive outside the body for very long.

The Science of Getting Pregnant: What’s Required

As a refresher, let’s take it back to the biology of getting pregnant and what’s usually needed to conceive a baby.

Key “ingredients”

According to Irani and Smith, the following elements are absolutely necessary for a successful pregnancy to occur:

• A viable egg—i.e., one that has been released by the ovaries within the last 24 hours and doesn’t have serious genetic issues that affects its viability.
• A viable sperm, which also doesn’t have any major genetic issues. Because it’s a long and challenging journey from the vagina to the egg, sperm must have the mobility (ability to swim) and be present in sufficient quantities.
• The sperm must reach the egg in the fallopian tubes and fertilize it.
• The fertilized egg must successfully implant in the uterine wall.

Debunking common myths

Can you get pregnant from a toilet seat? A hot tub? A swimming pool? There are a lot of myths out there on how and when you can get pregnant, but the answer to all of these questions is a clear no. As Smith notes, sperm cannot survive for long outside the body, especially in these environments, where temperatures and chemical variations quickly kill sperm.

There are lots of different ways to build modern families. So, yes, you can get pregnant without having sex. To learn more about what family planning options might be right for you, reach out to your healthcare provider and set up an appointment.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.