Does Oral Sex Have a Negative Impact on Couples’ Fertility?

A couple have been trying to conceive a child for over a year with no success. When they visited Primecare, they discovered that the woman had a reproductive infection. They learned that one of the potential causes of the infection is oral sex, which they both enjoy. They immediately stop engaging in oral sex until her infection was treated, understanding that doing so could improve their chances of conception. Eventually they were blessed with a baby!

What is Oral Sex?

Oral sex is a sexual activity that entails stimulating the genitals using the mouth, lips, or tongue and is commonly regarded as a fundamental aspect of sexual intimacy between couples. It can involve a variety of techniques, such as kissing, licking, sucking, and nibbling, with the main aim of stimulating the genitals.

Oral sex is a form of non-penetrative sex that many couples engage in as part of their sexual foreplay, prior to engaging in sexual intercourse. However, some couples also enjoy oral sex as a standalone activity.

Types of Oral Sex

Oral sex can be divided into two main types: cunnilingus and fellatio. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex on a female, where the mouth, lips, and tongue are used to stimulate the clitoris, labia, and vaginal opening. Fellatio refers to oral sex on a male, where the mouth, lips, and tongue are used to stimulate the penis, testicles, and surrounding areas. Both types of oral sex can be performed independently or in combination with other sexual activities.

Prevalence of Oral Sex

Oral sex is a common sexual activity among couples. According to a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, 85.4% of men and 83.2% of women in the United States have engaged in oral sex at least once in their lifetime. Another study found that 69% of men and 59% of women had engaged in oral sex in the past year. These numbers suggest that oral sex is a popular sexual activity and is considered a normal part of sexual intimacy for many couples. Africans have also gradually adopted this act through western influences from movies, education and interactions, although not much has been published about its prevalence among this race.

Benefits of Oral Sex for Fertility?

Generally, sexual pleasure and intimacy can be beneficial to your health. It improves positive mood and reduce stress levels while increasing feelings of closeness with your partner. This may help you to relax more easily and increasing libido, promoting frequent interest in sexual intercourse, which could lead to better fertility outcomes if you are having trouble conceiving naturally or through IVF treatment.

Does Oral Sex Negatively Impact Fertility?

There are concerns about the potential effects of oral sex on their reproductive health, i.e., whether  oral sex has a negative impact on a couple’s fertility.

In order to answer this question, we will examine the available evidences, as it is a subject of debate with so much conflicting information out there. Thus, it is essential to also understand the science behind this controversial topic by looking at various research studies.

It is important to note that oral sex involves the stimulation of the external genitalia, which are not directly involved in reproduction, and does not directly interfere with the production of the sperm and the egg in the testes and ovaries, respectively. But these gametes travel through the reproductive tract (including the vas deferens, the fallopian tubes, and the uterus) to meet and fertilize.

However, oral sex may introduce harmful bacteria or viruses into the reproductive system affecting the quality or quantity of the sperm, egg or the cervical mucus, which could affect the chances of conception.

One study published in 2003 in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility examined the effects of oral sex on the level of antisperm antibodies (ASA) in the cervical mucus of women. ASA are proteins produced by the immune system that can bind to and immobilize sperm, making them less likely to reach and fertilize the egg. The study found that women who performed oral sex on their partners had higher levels of ASA in their cervical mucus than women who did not engage in oral sex. However, the study did not find any significant difference in pregnancy rates between the two groups. The authors concluded that “oral sex may induce the production of antisperm antibodies, but this does not seem to affect fertility.”

According to other circumstantial evidence presented, the increase in oral sex may be linked to a rise in C. trachomatis prevalence in the human gastrointestinal tract, potentially leading to chronic contamination and infection in the female urogenital tract. This could contribute to serious sequelae such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and tubal factor infertility in women.

Another study published in 2012 in the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics looked at the effects of oral sex on sperm quality. The study collected semen samples from men before and after receiving oral sex from their partners, and analyzed them for various parameters such as sperm count, motility, and morphology. The study found that there was no significant difference in any of these parameters before and after oral sex. The authors concluded that fellatio does not seem to have a significant impact on semen parameters.

One study published in the Journal of Andrology found that the presence of oral bacteria in semen was associated with decreased sperm motility and concentration. The study concluded that oral sex may be a potential risk factor for male infertility.

A study published in the Journal of Fertility and Sterility found no significant difference in pregnancy rates between couples who engaged in oral sex and those who did not.

While these studies provide some reassurance that oral sex is unlikely to have a negative impact on fertility, they are limited in their scope and may not apply to all couples; more research is needed to confirm these findings and to explore the potential effects of oral sex on other aspects of reproductive health. Other factors such as age, health status, and lifestyle choices (such as smoking, drinking, or drug use) can also affect fertility.

Conclusion

Available evidence suggests that oral sex is unlikely to negatively impact the fertility of couples.

However, couples seeking babies should get the right medical advice and undergo comprehensive evaluation of their fertility potential; undertake routine health checks, maintain good oral hygiene, use dental dams and condoms to reduce the risk of infection via the mouth since there is potential for transmission of bacteria or viruses during oral sex.

Finally, couples seeking babies should be free to enjoy the maximum pleasure possible through sexual activities that are mutually satisfying and respectful, as long as they do not harm themselves, the chances of pregnancy or others including the growing baby in the womb.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6789593/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29029270/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6327665/#CIT0026

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2649329/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/can-you-get-pregnant-from-swallowing