Hello, faithful readers. This week, ther e are not one, but two questions that explore the topic of sexual encounters in risky places — mainly, your shower.

Q: Is it safer to have sex in water? Can a woman get pregnant from showering with her significant other?  

A: Many an urban legend has claimed sex in water is safe. However, while a naughty swim or rendezvous in the shower may seem fun, sexy and safe, it is not an STI- or pregnancy-proof practice. 

The first thing one must consider before going 10,000 leagues under the sea is how barrier methods, like condoms, are going to function underwater. Most condoms come ready with lubrication, which helps reduce friction and prevents them from becoming dry and breaking. While The Naked Truth encourages the use of a water-based lubricant with condoms, straight up H₂O is more harmful than helpful. The water can wash off all lubrication on the condom, making it more susceptible to breaking. It may also make the act of sex a little uncomfortable for one or both partners.

If you are going to try having sex in water without a condom, be prepared to take on the risk of contracting an STI. The water won’t “wash off” any little bacteria or viruses between partners, no matter how chlorinated that pool is. Make sure you and your partner have been tested and are sans-STIs; also, have a back-up birth control method before going condom-less in the water.

As far as pregnancy goes, the water won’t stop the circle of life from spinning. If a woman and a man are showering or bathing together, but there is no sexual contact (penis-in-vagina or even sperm-on-vagina), then no, she of course cannot get pregnant. If a woman and man are showering together and having sex at the same time, then yes, she can become pregnant. Remember dear readers, the ingredients for a pregnancy are sperm and egg, and any way that combines the two is likely to result in a pregnancy. 

It is also not wise to simply try “washing off” the sperm while in the shower. There may still be a small chance of pregnancy if the sperm ends up on the woman’s vulva, and there is still the risk of contracting an STI. It is also not wise to try to wash the sperm out of the vagina; this can actually push the sperm higher into the reproductive tract.

Using a hormonal birth control method is one of the best ways to prevent a shower baby. Hormonal birth control methods, like the pill or patch, are not going to be affected in water. The patch (which adheres to the skin) has been proven safe to swim and bathe in. If, however, the patch does fall off your skin while getting slippery in the shower, make sure to re-attach it or replace it with a new patch right away. 

Lesson learned: Water is not a primary form of birth control.

That’s all for this week! The Naked Truth hopes you enjoyed this duo of watery questions, but if you have other topics you would like to explore, e-mail thenakedtruth@jackcentral.com.