Can a woman get pregnant without sperm entering her body?

Pregnancy happens when a sperm fertilises an egg, which can happen even if you've not had sexual intercourse (penetration).

During vaginal penetrative sex (where the penis enters the vagina) semen can be ejaculated. Semen is the liquid produced during ejaculation and contains millions of sperm.

As soon as the penis is erect, (before ejaculation), a liquid called pre-ejaculate or "pre-cum" is produced. This liquid can contain thousands of sperm.

The ovaries release 1 or more eggs (ovulation) 12-16 days before a period starts.

The sperm enters the body through the vagina, then travels through the cervix and womb to the fallopian tubes, where the egg is usually fertilised (conception). The egg can be fertilised by sperm contained in semen or pre-ejaculate.

It is possible to get pregnant if sperm comes into contact with the vagina, if for example:

* your partner ejaculates very close to your vagina
* your partner's erect penis comes into contact with your genital area (vagina or vulva)

The risk of getting pregnant in this way is very low because sperm can only live for a short time outside the body.

However, if you're not planning a pregnancy, it's important to know that it's possible to get pregnant in this way.