http://kinseyconfidential.org Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 2006-2007 aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) aschweig@indiana.edu (Kinsey Confidential) posts 1440 Just another WordPress weblog Kinsey Confidential Kinsey Confidential aschweig@indiana.edu No no http://kinseyconfidential.org/wp-content/themes/kinsey/images/kinsey-podcast-300.jpg http://kinseyconfidential.org 144 144 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pulling-sex-precum-pose-pregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pulling-sex-precum-pose-pregnancy-risk/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:00:23 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://kinseyconfidential.org/?p=1572 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pulling-sex-precum-pose-pregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 3:19 Research on Pulling Out The withdrawal method ndash; also called ldquo;pulling outrdquo; ndash; has received a lot of attention recently thanks to a research study that ... Research on Pulling Out The withdrawal method ndash; also called ldquo;pulling outrdquo; ndash; has received a lot of attention recently thanks to a research study that suggested that it was just as effective at reducing the risk of pregnancy as male condoms. This finding was confusing for many people as it is commonly believed, by many women and men, that couples can become pregnant from a manrsquo;s pre-ejaculatory fluids, which are also called pre-cum. The truth is a little trickier than that. The Way It All Works Herersquo;s the deal: pre-ejaculatory fluids do not contain any sperm. They are clear fluids that come from small glands inside of a manrsquo;s body, including glands called the Cowperrsquo;s glands.nbsp;These pre-ejaculatory fluids are released into a manrsquo;s urethra when he becomes aroused and they help to lubricate the urethra. Some men produce more pre-ejaculatory fluid than others and they may be able to see it come out of their penis while they are aroused. Others donrsquo;t produce as much pre-ejaculatory fluid and it may not be noticeable to them at all. Because pre-ejaculatory fluid does not contain sperm, it cannot get a woman pregnant. Reasons to Avoid Unprotected Sex That said, most healthcare providers and sexual health educators still discourage people from having unprotected sex for several reasons. First of all, couples can still pass infections to one another. Second, just because a man plans to pull his penis out of his partnerrsquo;s vagina before he ejaculates does not mean that he will be able to. Many men ejaculate more quickly than they would like. Men may feel as though they have control over when and where they ejaculate, but they may suddenly feel very excited during sex or a certain position may stimulate their penis in a way they didnrsquo;t expect and they may come without meaning to. Therefore, the withdrawal method is not effective at preventing pregnancy for all men. It probably works very well for men who can routinely and reliably control the timing of their ejaculate. It probably does not reduce pregnancy risk for those men who find it challenging to control when and where they ejaculate. Finally, there is one last risk with pre-ejaculate and pregnancy. Although pre-ejaculate does not itself contain sperm, it can carry leftover sperm out of a manrsquo;s body. For example, if a man masturbates and ejaculates and then an hour later has sex with a woman without a condom, he could potentially get her pregnant even if he doesnrsquo;t come inside her if his pre-ejaculatory fluids carry his leftover sperm out of his penis and into her vagina. To flush out his leftover sperm, he could try peeing before sex. Learn More To learn more about condoms, the withdrawal technique and other methods of birth control, check out Planned Parenthood's website. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/premature-ejaculation-in-sex-is-it-because-i-masturbate/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/premature-ejaculation-in-sex-is-it-because-i-masturbate/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:02 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://kinseyconfidential.org/?p=1579 http://kinseyconfidential.org/premature-ejaculation-in-sex-is-it-because-i-masturbate/feed/ 0 3:31 Everyone Does It Most men and women have masturbated at some point in their lives whether during adolescence, adulthood, older age or throughout the lifespan. In ... Everyone Does It Most men and women have masturbated at some point in their lives whether during adolescence, adulthood, older age or throughout the lifespan. In fact, even research conducted with parents and teachers of young children shows that most young children touch their genitals for curiosity, to relieve an itch or because they like how it feels. Masturbation is generally regarded as a healthy form of sexual expression. Sperm Production Menrsquo;s bodies make sperm and the fluids that make up semen on an ongoing basis. Masturbating will not cause your body to stop producing sperm or semen. In case yoursquo;re curious, sperm only make up a small portion of the volume of semen. Much of a manrsquo;s seminal fluids come from his prostate gland and other glands called the cowperrsquo;s glands and seminal vesicles. Why We Do It There are many reasons that people masturbate including for fun, curiosity, to release sexual tension, to help themselves fall asleep or to enhance their desire or arousal. There are also different ways that people masturbate alone or with a sexual or romantic relationship partner. While many people touch their genitals, others find that they enjoy stimulating their chest or breasts, their inner thighs or their anus. Some people use their hands to masturbate and others find it pleasurable to use a sex toy, to rub their body against a bed or pillow or to stimulate themselves in the shower or bath. Masturbation Might Help Itrsquo;s also important to note that masturbation does not necessarily cause premature ejaculation or the experience of ejaculating more quickly than you or your wife might like. In fact, certain masturbation exercises might actually help you to learn to last longer during sexual intercourse. These exercises are called the stop-start technique and the squeeze technique. Essentially they involve stimulating yourself during masturbation, then just before the point when you are getting close to ejaculating you either stop all stimulation (for the stop-start technique) or gently squeeze the head of your penis (for the squeeze technique). This may help your arousal to decrease somewhat before you then start stimulating yourself again and repeat the process. Finally, I would encourage you to speak with your wife about her feelings about her sex life. It may be that she is happy with how long you spend having sex. More Information You can learn more about masturbation and partnered techniques to help you last longer during sex in The New Male Sexuality or Coping With Premature Ejaculation. Common,Problems,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-guy-pulls-ejaculates/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-guy-pulls-ejaculates/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:00:03 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://kinseyconfidential.org/?p=1569 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-guy-pulls-ejaculates/feed/ 0 2:33 Affirmative Pregnancy Warning Yes, from what you describe, it would technically be possible to become pregnant from having unprotected sex with a man who has just ... Affirmative Pregnancy Warning Yes, from what you describe, it would technically be possible to become pregnant from having unprotected sex with a man who has just come, wiped off his penis and then put his penis back inside your vagina. This is because even if he squeezed what he thought was the rest of his semen out of his penis and wiped it on his towel or hand, he may still have some semen further down his urethra that he would not have been able to squeeze out. Getting Rid of Semen Men cannot reliably squeeze all of their semen out of their penis. Sometimes it trickles out a few moments later. Also, there may be sperm that are further down and then, when he is inside you and gets aroused again, his pre-ejaculatory fluids may sweep up the sperm several minutes later, or even longer, and carry it outside his body and into your vagina. Avoid Pregnancy If you do not want to become pregnant, you have several options. You could abstain from sexual activity with your partner altogether. Or you could engage in sex play with your partner but only the types of sex play that do not pose a pregnancy risk, such as making out and touching each othersrsquo; genitals with your hands or having dry sex with both of your clothes on. Reliable Birth Control Or, if you are both feeling ready to have sex, then you could have sex with each other but choose to use a reliable method of birth control such as a condom or hormonal birth control such as the birth control pill, patch or ring. More Information You can learn more about these methods of birth control by reading Our Bodies, Ourselves or The Guide to Getting It On. Planned Parenthood also has extensive information about birth control methods, condoms and preventing pregnancy. Each of these resources also has information about things you can do to increase your chances of becoming pregnant if that is something that you and your partner are interested in doing together. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-mans-preejaculate/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-mans-preejaculate/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:00:13 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://kinseyconfidential.org/?p=1290 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnant-mans-preejaculate/feed/ 2 http://kinseyconfidential.org/sperm/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/sperm/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:00:51 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://kinseyconfidential.org/?p=1289 http://kinseyconfidential.org/sperm/feed/ 1 2:41 Sperm only account for about 5% of a manrsquo;s ejaculation by volume whereas fluids from the seminal vesicles and prostate gland account for the vast ... Sperm only account for about 5% of a manrsquo;s ejaculation by volume whereas fluids from the seminal vesicles and prostate gland account for the vast majority of semen. As such, if you are hoping that more sperm will make for larger amounts of semen when you ejaculate, think again! Unable to Increase the Volume of Ejaculate In fact, I am not aware of any way to reliably increase the volume of your ejaculate. Some men find that they emit more semen when they have had less frequent masturbation or partnered sex or when they have allowed their arousal to build up substantially before ejaculating. Others notice little, if any, difference when they try these things. Now, if yoursquo;re not interested in changing your semen volume ndash; but rather you are interested in increasing your sperm count itself, that may be another story. Increasing Your Sperm Count If a healthcare provider has told you that you have a low sperm count, and you and your partner wish to become pregnant, then you may be able to make some lifestyle changes that can either result in more sperm per ejaculation or that may help the sperm you do produce to swim faster or to be of higher quality. Some research, for example, has linked high body fat to lower sperm count or to lower sperm quality. Other research has examined the relationship between caffeine consumption or cigarette smoking with the suggestion that high caffeine consumption and smoking can have a negative impact on sperm quality. Then there are temperature issues to consider in that men who are trying to conceive may find it helpful to steer clear of tight underwear, steam rooms or hot tubs so that their testicles ndash; where sperm are produced ndash; arenrsquo;t subjected to warm temperatures, which can impair sperm production. If you are concerned about your sperm count or your fertility, check in with a healthcare provider for advice about what you can personally to do improve your sperm count or quality. Depending on your personal health history and your goals regarding pregnancy, some strategies may be better choices than others and you can discuss these options with a healthcare provider. Common,Problems,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-pill-men/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-pill-men/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:21:04 +0000 Natalie Ingraham (M.P.H.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=966 http://kinseyconfidential.org/birth-control-pill-men/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/orgasm-desire-vasectomy/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/orgasm-desire-vasectomy/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:00:18 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/qa-orgasm-desire-vasectomy/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/orgasm-desire-vasectomy/feed/ 0 3:22 Vasectomy is generally regarded as a highly safe and effective means of permanent birth control. There are various methods of vasectomy that are available to ... Vasectomy is generally regarded as a highly safe and effective means of permanent birth control. There are various methods of vasectomy that are available to doctors, with the end result being that the vas deferens ndash; which are the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles ndash; are clamped, cut or sealed so that sperm are no longer able to leave the body through ejaculation. Affect On Sexual Desire And Orgasm Because only the sperm are blocked, and sperm make up a very tiny proportion of the volume of a manrsquo;s semen, the amount of ejaculation released during orgasm is pretty much the same before vasectomy as it is after vasectomy. And when it comes to sex, research generally suggests that menrsquo;s sexual desire, satisfaction and erectile function are just as strong after vasectomy as compared to before vasectomy. In fact, without the anxiety about accidentally getting their partner pregnant during intercourse, quite a few men even indicate that they have stronger erections or are more sexually satisfied after their vasectomy. Less Pleasurable Sex Very Rare It is very rare for men who have had vasectomies to report having less pleasurable sex or no experience of release at the time of orgasm. Because this is so rare, many doctors ndash; even those who have performed hundreds of vasectomies ndash; may have never encountered a patient who told them that their experience of sex became worse after the vasectomy, and that may explain why the doctors yoursquo;ve met with have had little to say in response to your question. That doesnrsquo;t mean that your experience isnrsquo;t valid or doesnrsquo;t warrant attention. Having a vasectomy can affect menrsquo;s feelings about themselves, their bodies, and their sexuality in important ways, and it may be worth meeting with a trained sex therapist to further explore how having a vasectomy has impacted your sex life. You can find a sex therapist on the web site of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. You might also want to meet with a urologist or a neurologist who has experience in sexual issues as it is certainly possible that there may be physical causes related to your lack of pleasure in relation to orgasm. Recommended Reading Finally, you might find it helpful to read a book such as For Each Other: Sharing Sexual Intimacy by Dr. Lonnie Barbach that focuses on ways that couples can use sexual exploration to foster closeness, intimacy and pleasure. Bodies,,Content,Type,,Podcast aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/preejaculate-precum-pregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/preejaculate-precum-pregnancy-risk/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:00:20 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/qa-preejaculate-pregnancy/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/preejaculate-precum-pregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 2:54 Many people are curious about pre-ejaculate. After all, educational messages about pre-ejaculate tend to follow the line of thought that suggests men and women are ... Many people are curious about pre-ejaculate. After all, educational messages about pre-ejaculate tend to follow the line of thought that suggests men and women are ndash; as they say ndash; ldquo;better safe than sorry.rdquo; Pre-ejaculate is fluid that comes from a manrsquo;s Cowperrsquo;s glands, which are small glands inside a manrsquo;s body, by his penis. This fluid helps to lubricate a manrsquo;s urethra. In some men, this fluid is noticeable even when he is sexually aroused ndash; a little bit might come out of his urethra during sexual excitement. In other men, pre-ejaculate is not noticeable. Usually Not Possible Regardless, there are no sperm in the fluids made by the Cowperrsquo;s glands. As such, unless there were already sperm hanging out in the urethra that were then carried out by the Cowperrsquo;s glands fluids, it is usually not possible to get pregnant from contact with pre-ejaculate. However, that doesnrsquo;t mean that itrsquo;s safe to have sex without a condom. Though pre-ejaculate usually does not contain many, if any, sperm (depending on whether any sperm were already in the urethra from a previous ejaculate), it still counts as a sexual fluid and both menrsquo;s and womenrsquo;s sexual fluids can pass sexually transmissible infections, or STIs. STI Risk By having unprotected sex with another guy, you put yourself at risk for STIs from him. As such, you might consider getting tested for STIs such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. Ask your healthcare provider about your risk for STIs and which tests would be recommended for you. If you have had oral, vaginal or anal sex with your boyfriend since having sex with the other guy, then you have also potentially put your boyfriend at risk for STIs. Talking to your boyfriend about cheating on him takes a good deal of courage, but it might be something yoursquo;ll want to consider. You might also want to examine the reasons why you cheated on your boyfriend and whether there are any lessons you can learn from the experience, including ways that you hope to grow closer to your boyfriend or whether your current relationship is one that you want to be in. Learn More To learn more about STIs, explore our STI sexual health resources pages or visit the web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy,,Special,,flagged,-,still,needs,some,edits aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:00:52 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/2008/09/22/qa-is-it-possible-to-get-pregnant-even-when-using-contraception-and-if-my-partner-doesnt-ejaculate/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-risk-using-condoms-not-ejaculating/feed/ 0 3:09 If you didn't get any sperm inside your girlfriendrsquo;s vagina, or any pre-ejaculate (also called "pre-cum" - the thin liquid that comes out of some ... If you didn't get any sperm inside your girlfriendrsquo;s vagina, or any pre-ejaculate (also called "pre-cum" - the thin liquid that comes out of some men's penises while they are feeling aroused), then she could not become pregnant from you. Take A Pregnancy Test It is more likely that your girlfriend is still just feeling anxious or worried about becoming pregnant when she is not ready to become pregnant. If she is concerned that she might be pregnant, she should get an at-home pregnancy test when an adequate amount of time has passed (check each box to see how soon a particular test can be used) or check in with her healthcare provider for a pregnancy test. Talk To Your Partner If you or your girlfriend are anxious about sex for these or other reasons, it may be that you are not ready to be having sex right now, as the anxiety may make sex feel more stressful than pleasurable. Perhaps this is a good time to talk more with each other about your decision to be sexual together and how yoursquo;re feeling about it, as well as how you would feel is you became pregnant together, or what steps you could take to feel more comfortable about your romantic and sexual relationship. Or it may be an indication that you need to do other things - like talk more about how you plan to prevent pregnancy - such as correct and consistent condom use and maybe hormonal contraception, such as the birth control pill, patch, shot or ring - so that you can both feel more at ease. In that case, talking with a healthcare provider and learning more about your options for birth control will likely be very helpful - you can learn more at Planned Parenthood's Website as they have a comprehensive birth control section. Experience Takes Time If your girlfriend has not yet had a gynecological exam, she should do so, as this is important for all women who are sexually active. If you feel comfortable talking to your parents or other older family members such as aunts or uncles, they might also serve as good resources for information and to talk about any feelings you might be having about these changes to your relationship. Becoming sexually experienced is something that doesnrsquo;t happen over night, and certainly doesnrsquo;t happen the very first time that you have sex. It takes time and it can be helpful to have trusted people to talk to, not only for information but also for support. Content,Type,,Podcast,,Pregnancy aschweig@indiana.edu no No http://kinseyconfidential.org/maybe-this-is-why-our-boyfriends-never-call/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/maybe-this-is-why-our-boyfriends-never-call/#comments Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:03:25 +0000 Samantha Seeger http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2008/02/19/maybe-this-is-why-our-boyfriends-never-call/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/maybe-this-is-why-our-boyfriends-never-call/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-without-penetration/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-without-penetration/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:49:17 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2007/10/17/qa-risk-of-pregnancy-from-dry-sex/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/pregnancy-without-penetration/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/mutual-masturbation-pregnancy-risk/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/mutual-masturbation-pregnancy-risk/#comments Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:57:57 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2006/12/06/qa-can-i-get-pregnant-from-mutual-masturbation-with-my-boyfriend/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/mutual-masturbation-pregnancy-risk/feed/ 0 http://kinseyconfidential.org/how-to-last-longer-during-sex-masturbation-techniques/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/how-to-last-longer-during-sex-masturbation-techniques/#comments Wed, 06 Sep 2006 20:14:54 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://www.kinseyconfidential.org/blog/2006/09/06/qa-how-can-i-last-longer-during-sex/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/how-to-last-longer-during-sex-masturbation-techniques/feed/ 1 http://kinseyconfidential.org/can-you-get-pregnant-from-pre-cum/ http://kinseyconfidential.org/can-you-get-pregnant-from-pre-cum/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:00:35 +0000 Dr. Debby Herbenick (M.P.H., Ph.D.) http://wfiutest.rtv.indiana.edu/?p=710 http://kinseyconfidential.org/can-you-get-pregnant-from-pre-cum/feed/ 1