Pre-ejaculate

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Pre-ejaculate (also known as pre-ejaculatory fluid or Cowper's fluid, and colloquially as precum) is the clear, colorless, viscous fluid that is issued from the urethra of a man's penis when he is sexually aroused. The fluid is usually secreted by Cowper's glands during arousal, masturbation, foreplay or at an early stage during sex, some time before the man fully reaches orgasm and semen is ejaculated.

[edit] Function

Pre-ejaculatory fluid prepares the urethra for the passage of semen by neutralizing acidity due to any residual urine. It also lubricates the movement of the penis and the foreskin over the glans. The amount of fluid that the human male can issue varies widely among individuals, from imperceptible amounts to a copious flow.

[edit] Components

There have been no large-scale studies of sperm in pre-ejaculate, but some smaller-scale studies suggest that any sperm present may be ineffectual at causing pregnancy.^[1][2] This may account for the surprisingly low pregnancy rate (approximately 4% per year) among couples that practice perfect use of coitus interruptus.

A more serious problem is those same studies have shown the presence of HIV, the virus responsible for the disease AIDS, in pre-ejaculate.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} (October 1993) "Researchers find no sperm in pre-ejaculate fluid". Contraceptive Technology Update 14 (10): 154-156. PMID 12286905. 
2. ^ Zukerman Z.; Weiss D.B.; Orvieto R. (April 2003). "Short Communication: Does Preejaculatory Penile Secretion Originating from Cowper's Gland Contain Sperm?". Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics 20 (4): 157-159. PMID 12762415.