Some of you, dear readers and dear sexual partners may have had sex in water. The days get longer when the sun shines, and the sea seems especially inviting. And when the weather gets warmer, it’s only natural that many indoor activities move outdoors. Just as a dinner at home seems much more appealing than a picnic, sex gets even hotter when it’s done outdoors. And sex in water makes perfect sense. Pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans don’t live up to their true potential if they’re not used as a hideout for exciting activities. But sex in the water isn’t without its risks. Here are six things you should know before you get started:
Yes, swimming pools contain chlorine, but can also include many bacteria. According to a study, one of the most common health issues in public pools is incorrect pH levels, which makes disinfectants challenging. The same goes for hot springs. And even if you and your partner want more contact with nature, the prospects aren’t much better. Lakes and oceans are the dirtiest. However, you can still have great sex in the water. Theoretically, you could accidentally catch a waterborne disease or illness, but the risk is negligible. It may sound contradictory, but sex in water can have a more significant impact on sexual relations than sex in bed. People think of water as a sexual lubricant, but this is entirely wrong.
When something enters or leaves a sexual relationship in water, some of the water naturally enters the body, washing away lubricating sexual secretions and potentially drying them out. This lack of lubrication makes it more susceptible to microwear. These tiny abrasions can burn if they come into contact with irritants such as chlorine or salt water. Also, disinfectants like chlorine are corrosive, so even if they don’t cause micro-abrasions, they can disrupt your sex life and mess with your pH, potentially causing bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections. Bottom line: having some lube on hand can be extremely helpful during underwater sex. This leads us to our next point: condoms are still effective in water, so use them if you need to. As long as the water is suitable for swimming, meaning not too much chlorine content, condoms won’t be affected. However, without the proper lubricant, condoms are prone to breakage due to drying and friction in the water. Silicone is your best bet if you have lube for this outdoor adventure. Oil-based lubricants can damage condoms, and water-based lubricants can wash off quickly in this case.
If someone ejaculates inside you while you’re in the water and you didn’t use birth control, you could get pregnant. Water can get into your partner’s body during intercourse, but sperm won’t be washed away. Sperm can be released during intercourse, even before ejaculation. Even if it comes off before ejaculation, pregnancy is possible on land or in the sea.
We’ve all heard the rumor about someone Getting pregnant after swimming in a pool or hot tub where someone has ejaculated. Luckily, this myth is unfounded. If there’s no physical contact and sperm is released into the water, it’s hard to imagine how that could lead to pregnancy. To introduce the sperm, they would have to be very close, or they would have to manipulate the female anatomy. So if your partner ejaculates out of the water and then somewhere else in the water, the sperm can’t get into your sexual relationship and swim around and get you pregnant. Sperm are also finicky little creatures that survive on core body temperature. So they can survive inside a woman’s body for up to five days. Otherwise, if they’re outside, they’ll die pretty quickly, whether at a low temperature like a swimming pool or a warm temperature like a hot tub. (And even if you’re in water with the perfect body temperature, the man has to ejaculate inside you for you to have a chance of getting pregnant.)
Chlorine and other disinfectants can effectively kill certain bacteria; however, they may not eliminate all types. Don’t wash them all away, and they make you less likely to catch an STI. Not having enough lubrication can cause microscopic wear and tear, theoretically increasing your risk of contracting or spreading an STI. But on the other hand, you won’t accidentally contract an STI in the pool because different people have had sex with them before you. The bottom line is that safety is an integral part of sex, as it is anywhere else, including in the water.
