ASK GF
Sex and body
Answered by Family Planning NSW Associate Medical Director, Dr Clare Boerma.
I’ve heard that if you sneeze after sex, it can help stop you from getting pregnant. Is this true? Claudia*
No, this isn’t true. Sperm can move rapidly from the vagina, through the cervix to the uterus (womb) and fallopian tubes. Even if sneezing or coughing means that some ejaculate (cum) comes out of the vagina, there’ll still be plenty of sperm that have made their way to the uterus and fallopian tubes. Sperm can survive there for five to seven days, waiting for an egg to be released.
Should I be on birth control before I have sex? Or is using a condom good enough? Kelsey*
It’s great that you’re making plans about contraception in advance. With typical use, condoms are 88% effective at preventing pregnancy, so also look at other options that are more reliable. For example, typical efficacy for the Pill or vaginal ring is 93%, depo injection is 96%, IUDs are 99.5-99.9% and implants are 99.95%. Whatever you choose, don’t forget to also use condoms to protect against STIs. If you’re relying on a condom for birth control, and you forget or it breaks, get an emergency contraceptive (morning-after pill) from a pharmacist
