Doctor's Advice - Could a single drop get her pregnant?

Q: I am 20 years old. Doc, my girlfriend and I are very worried. What we need to know is this. Could just one drop of seminal fluid make a female pregnant? I ask you because of the fact that last night we were fooling around and a single drop of my fluid reached her labia. I suppose it might have got inside her, but we are not sure. She thinks that just a single drop could not do any harm. But I am not so sure. So please tell us, Doc: could just one drop contain any sperm?

A: Well, I am sorry to tell you that a single drop of seminal fluid is likely to contain many thousands of sperm. So there is certainly enough there to get a woman pregnant. However, from what you say it may be that your sperm did not actually get inside her. Did your girlfriend use the post-coital pill, or morning-after pill, as it is popularly known? If not, you will just have to wait and see if her menses arrive.

What is very clear to me is that you two ought to be taking more care to avoid unwanted pregnancy. If you are going to continue going in for sexual intimacy, why not let an experienced doctor help you with some contraception?

Q: My fiancé and I are both 22, and we have a great sex life together. We are both hoping to make a career in the media, possibly in the United States of America. Recently, we have met a rich film-maker, who says that there could be some opportunities for us because we are both good-looking and have acting ability. But when we visited him to discuss the matter, he came up with a somewhat surprising proposal. What he has suggested is that he and his team could film me and my fiancé having sex in a studio, arranged to look like a luxurious bedroom. He made it clear that there would be some real intimate shots of penetration and so on. My fiancé is quite keen to go ahead because he feels it would be a breakthrough for us. But I am not so happy. What do you think, Doctor?

A: I think you would be crazy to take up this guy's offer. He is clearly in the business of making porn films or videos, and the likelihood is that he would sell this production so that it will be seen worldwide on the Internet.

Therefore, all over the globe, people would be able to see pictures of you and your man in intimate sexual close-ups. There is no way that this would be a breakthrough for you or your fiancé. Indeed, it would probably put a stop to any hope of an acting career for either of you.

Furthermore, you would probably find yourself pressured to continue working in the porn industry. And if you agree to that, you would have to have sex with all sorts of guys, thus exposing yourself to the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STI). In short, I think you should tell this man 'no' firmly. There are many other and safer ways in which you can pursue a career in the media.

Q: I am a virgin, Doc, but I do allow my boyfriend to finger me, often bringing me to orgasm. Could I catch an infection that way? Also, on the last four occasions where we have gone in for that type of fingering, I have felt a sudden pain, and have bled a lot afterwards. I even had to wear a sanitary napkin for a couple of days. What is going on?

A: To answer your first question, the type of petting which is known widely as fingering carries very little risk indeed of causing any type of STI. However, it does sometimes seem to make a girl more liable to the common condition of cystitis, which is inflammation of the bladder. Now, why are you bleeding, and also feeling pain?

Well, there is a chance that your guy has broken your hymen, the little membrane which is sometimes known as 'the virgin's veil'. However, statistically it is more likely that he has accidentally cut you with his fingernail.

These 'flesh wounds' caused from an jab with a nail are common in young women, especially where the male partner has little experience. They are not usually serious, and tend to heal up within a week or so. Nevertheless, I would like you to consult a doctor, and let her take a look at your intimate parts. She can rapidly assess whether there is any significant cut, and what needs to be done about it. Please do not go in for any petting until you have seen that doctor.

Q: My girlfriend is on the Pill, and it seems to suit her very well. But last week, she had to take an antibiotic for a chest infection. I think it was penicillin, Doc. Now a friend has told us that antibiotics stop the Pill from working. Is this true? And will my girlfriend get pregnant as a result?

A: Until recently, doctors advised women who were given penicillin or other antibiotics to "take extra contraceptive precautions". This was because it was believed that the antibiotics could lower the effectiveness of the Pill.

However, it now seems likely that ordinary antibiotics, like penicillin, do not affect the action of the Pill. Scientists say that if a woman is on a short course of antibiotics, by which they mean under a week, there is usually no need to worry. But if an antibiotic gave a patient diarrhoea, that would be another matter because she would probably lose the Pill down the toilet.

Also, there are a couple of rarely used antibiotics, called rifampicin and rifabutin, which definitely do reduce the effectiveness of the Pill. These are mainly used for tuberculosis.

Q: My fiancé is saying that he can no longer have sex with me, and cannot marry me because he has had a test and is HIV-positive! But he seems pretty well to me. Should I believe him?

A: Well, people who are HIV-positive do often appear perfectly well and healthy. On the other hand, some folks do pretend that they have HIV for various reasons. It is possible that your fiancé is conning you in order to get out of marriage. So you should ask to see written evidence of his HIV test.

But please remember that if he genuinely is HIV-positive, then there would be a high chance that you also have the virus, since you have clearly had sex with him. So you yourself would need to take a test.

Q: My menses did not arrive when they were due two weeks back. I had only had very brief sex just once during the preceding month, and that was standing up. Do you think I could be pregnant, Doctor?

A: Well, I am afraid that standing up does not protect a girl against conception! In young women, the commonest cause of a missed period is pregnancy, so you should do a test right away.

Email questions for Doc to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com