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    Birth control: Can preejaculation fluid cause pregnancy?

    By Mayo Clinic Staff
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Can you get pregnant from the fluid that comes from the penis before orgasm?

    Yes. It's called preejaculation fluid. It can have sperm in it. That means pregnancy can occur even when there isn't full ejaculation inside the vagina.

    Taking the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation, called withdrawal, is one of the oldest methods of birth control. It's free and has no side effects. Still, withdrawal won't always work. And it doesn't protect against sexually transmitted infections.

    To prevent pregnancy, pick another type of birth control. There are many. Ask a member of your health care team to help you choose one.

    1. Birth control methods. Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/birth-control-methods. Accessed April 5, 2023.
    2. Coitus interruptus (withdrawal). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/contraception/mmwr/mec/appendixh.html. Accessed April 5, 2023.

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