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Is Precum the Same as Premature Ejaculation?

Precum sounds like premature ejaculation, but is precum the same as premature ejaculation? Are these different names of the same sexual disorder? If precum is different from premature ejaculation (PE), what are the differences and how do you differentiate between precum and PE?

Short answer: Precum isn’t the same as premature ejaculation. In fact, there is a lot of difference between precum and premature ejaculation (PE).

How are these two different?

Let’s find out…

What is Precum?

Precum (or pre-cum), also known as pre-ejaculate, is a clear, sticky, and mucus-like liquid that comes out of your penis when you are aroused and sexually excited. It generates before ejaculation and is thus known as pre-cum (a liquid that generates before cum). The amount of precum varies from person to person and it can vary in the same person as it depends on arousal intensity. The more sexually aroused you are, the higher the amount of precum.

The average pre-ejaculate is between a few drops to 5 mm. 

Pre-ejaculate is different from semen. Precum is produced by accessory sex glands while semen is produced by the prostate and testes.

When Does Precum Do?

Precum occurs when a man is sexually aroused. The clear liquid that generates from your penis before semen is used to serve different purposes:

  1. It provides lubrication during sexual intercourse
  2. Precum is an alkaline that neutralizes the acidic urethra. Urine makes your urethra acidic, and sperms can’t survive in an acidic environment. Your pre-ejaculate creates a healthy environment by removing acid from the urethra so sperms can survive in the urethra during intercourse
  3. The environment inside the vagina is not suitable for semen. Precum fluid creates a chemically healthy environment inside the vagina to keep sperms active and alive.

This is a reason why precum generates multiple times before ejaculation. It keeps on releasing throughout the sexual activity before orgasm to create a healthy environment from the urethra to the vagina to sperm.

Does Precum Contain Sperm?

Yes, precum can contain sperm.

A study reported that 41% of men have sperm in their precum fluid and 37% of men have active sperm in their pre-ejaculate.

Pre-ejaculate does not contain sperm as it is produced in the Cowper’s glands which have nothing to do with the sperm. However, sperm can mix with precum inside your urethra and if you have sperm already inside the urethra, your precum can contain sperm.

So, sperm inside your urethra mix with the precum fluid and pass through to the vagina. This is a reason why precum can cause pregnancy.

How often can your pre-ejaculate contain sperm?

It depends on when you ejaculated last time. The only way your precum can contain sperm is when you have sperm in your urethra that mixes with the pre-ejaculate. Sperms can survive in your urethra for up to 4.5 hours, according to a study.

This means if you have sexual intercourse within 4.5 hours of any sexual activity where you ejaculated, you might have active sperm inside your urethra and your precum can have sperm.

There are two solutions to avoiding mixing precum with sperm:

  1. Empty your urethra after every intercourse. Urine is acidic and it makes sperms in the urethra inactive. Urination after every ejaculation can keep your precum safe from sperm
  2. Avoid having sexual intercourse within a time duration of 4.5 hours. Wait for at least 4.5 hours after ejaculation to ensure all the sperms inside the urethra become inactive.

Remember, pre-ejaculate does not naturally contain sperm. The only way for it to have sperms is through your urethra where active sperms are already present.

What is Premature Ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation (PE), also known as rapid ejaculation, early ejaculation, and premature climax, is a sexual disorder where a man ejaculates or comes too quickly during sexual intercourse. If ejaculation happens in 30 to 60 seconds, it is known as premature ejaculation.

PE is relevant. If you ejaculate too early and without much control over ejaculation, and it makes you stressed, it is an issue that needs to be addressed. If you are unable to satisfy yourself and your partner, it is again a problem.

However, the standard is defined as if you ejaculate under a minute, you are said to be suffering from premature ejaculation.

The most common causes of premature ejaculation include:

  • Depression and anxiety
  • Sexual abuse
  • Poor sex posture.

Is Precum the Same as Premature Ejaculation?

No, precum is not the same as premature ejaculation.

Precum is a fluid that generates from your penis before ejaculation while premature ejaculation is a disorder that refers to an early ejaculation (under a minute) of vaginal penetration.

Precum is a natural secretion that is common for all men. The pre-ejaculate fluid still exists with premature ejaculation. Whenever you get sexually aroused, even if you are suffering from premature ejaculation, your penis will produce a fluid that’s known as precum.

Premature ejaculation is a sexual disorder where you reach climax and ejaculate too quickly during sexual intercourse. In this case, your ejaculation contains sperm while precum does not have any sperm.

Both precum and premature ejaculation are different phenomena.

Here are the key differences between precum and premature ejaculation:

  1. Precum is a natural fluid that comes out of the penis before ejaculation. Premature ejaculation is a disorder where you ejaculate too quickly before your will
  2. Precum is a fluid that does not contain sperm naturally. Sperms can mix with precum from your urethra provided they are already present there. In case of premature ejaculation, you ejaculate fully with semen. Your ejaculation is normal with sperm, but it comes too early
  3. Precum exists with premature ejaculation. Every time you ejaculate even if it is under a minute, you will produce precum and then ejaculation
  4. Precum is produced in the Cowper’s glands whereas premature ejaculation has semen that is produced in the testes
  5. Precum is small in quantity while ejaculation during PE is large in quantity.

FAQs

Here are the answers to the most common questions about precum and premature ejaculation:

Is Precum and Pre-Ejaculation the Same Thing?

Yes, precum, pre-ejaculate, and pre-ejaculation are all the same things. It refers to the clear fluid that expels out of your penis when you are sexually aroused. It is generated before ejaculation and thus it’s known as precum.

Can You Get Pregnant from Precum?

Yes, you can if you have active sperms in the urethra that mixes with the precum and enters the vagina. Precum itself does not have any sperms as it is produced in a different gland and has nothing to do with your semen.

The only way pre-ejaculate can get you pregnant is when sperms from your urethra mix with precum during sexual intercourse. Sperms can stay active inside your urethra for up to 4.5 hours. If you have sexual intercourse after 4.5 hours of your last ejaculation, you can’t get pregnant.

What Are the Odds of Getting Pregnant from Precum?

The chances of getting pregnant from precum are minimal.

Precum doesn’t contain sperm. The only way precum can make you pregnant is when precum carries active sperm from the urethra (present already there) to the vagina. You should meet all the following conditions to get pregnant from precum:

1. You have active sperms in your urethra during sexual intercourse. This can only happen if you have ejaculated within 4.5 hours of your sexual intercourse

2. The sperms move through precum to your vagina

3. You have intercourse during good days (during the fertile window).

The odds are negligible but getting pregnant with precum isn’t impossible.

What Color is Precum with Sperm?

Precum is a clear fluid while sperm is white or light gray. When both mixes, the precum color changes to white or grayish. However, it is not easy to identify precum with sperm merely by color. The quantity of sperm that mixes with the precum is quite small and it usually does not change the color of the precum.

The color of the precum with sperm is still colorless and clear.

How Do You Know If There’s Sperm in Precum?

You can’t identify sperm in the precum. There is, unfortunately, no way to know if there is sperm in pre-ejaculate. The only way to know it is through a laboratory test. 

Pre-Ejaculate and Premature Ejaculation Are Different

Precum and premature ejaculation are different with no similarities.

Pre-ejaculate is a fluid that is produced and expelled from the penis before ejaculation during sexual intercourse. It serves the purpose of lubrication and creating a healthy environment in the urethra and vagina for sperm.

Premature ejaculation is a disorder where men ejaculate too early during sexual intercourse without desire. When a man ejaculates under a minute, it is known as premature ejaculation. This orgasmic disorder requires medical attention to delay ejaculation.

Precum is always there and always produced when you are aroused even if you are suffering from premature ejaculation and orgasm too quickly.

Pre-ejaculate doesn’t require any medical care but if you are suffering from premature ejaculation, you should get help. Check out this article on ways to hold back ejaculation and delay ejaculation without using any medicines.