When I am erect for a long time, I leak a clear sticky substance that doesn’t appear to be semen. Can this get my girlfriend pregnant? Is it just some sort of lubricant?
You’re pretty smart! The substance you are “leaking” is not semen. It’s actually a secretion from your Cowper’s glands, which are two pea-sized glands that are next to the urethra. These glands secrete an alkaline (basic) fluid whose function is to neutralize any acidity left in your urethra (the tube which urine leaves the body) from the last time you urinated. Sperm cannot survive in an acidic environment, so your body is basically clearing a safe route for their exit. A women’s vagina is also acidic, so in order for sperm to survive, they need to be mixed with secretions from your seminal vesicles and prostate gland. The secretions from your seminal vesicles help to nourish the sperm and activate the sperm’s motility (ability to “swim” or move spontaneously). The alkaline fluid from your prostate gland also aids motility and is what makes your semen able to withstand the acidity of the vagina. All of these secretions are what make up semen. Sperm only make up a very small part of your semen-in any one “load,” sperm make up approximately the volume of the size of a pinhead.
The good news is that the stuff you are “leaking” is not semen. But the bad news is that the “leak” may contain sperm left over from a previous ejaculation; therefore, it is still possible for pregnancy to occur, even if the penis is withdrawn before ejaculation. This is why using the “withdrawal method” is not a good way to prevent pregnancy.
I have a lot of trouble going to the bathroom after sex or when I have an erection. Is this normal?
This is totally normal, unless you are unable to urinate for a really long time. When you get an erection, your prostate gland squeezes the valve (urethral duct) shut that allows urine to flow through your urethra and out of your body. This happens so that your semen will have a clear exit. So before you can pee, the pressure on the urethral duct must be released. Once this happens, you will be able to urinate-even if you are still somewhat hard.
Many men wake up with “morning wood” and have the same problem. Contrary to the popular belief that this is caused by a full bladder, the morning erection is actually a normal part of REM sleep. Men will usually have four to five erections throughout the night that correspond with their REM cycles; the content of their dreams have nothing to do with getting hard.
Try to relax and focus on starting your stream; once you have emptied your bladder, you will find that your erection is gone or is pretty soft. If you really find it difficult or that it seems to be taking an extraordinarily long time, you may want to consult a doctor.
Questions?
How many times have you had a question about your body or your health that you felt weird asking a friend or someone older? Especially when it’s about sex? Jill Ringold, who received her master’s degree in Public Health and is a certified health education specialist, is the health educator in the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness. And she’s here to help answer those questions that you really want to ask. If you want to submit a question, please send it to [email protected] or via our anonymous portal on the Student Life website (www.studlife.com)