Pleasure drops

Of the Pleasure drops represents a gland secretion which, when sexually aroused, emerges from the penis before the actual ejaculation. This secretion has to fulfill important functions in the context of sexual intercourse. Even the pleasure drop can contain some sperm and in rare cases lead to pregnancy.

What the drop of pleasure?

The pleasure drop is also called Pre-ejaculate referred to because it emerges from the penis before the actual ejaculation. It is a secretion from the bulbourethral gland, also called Cowper's gland. The bulbourethral gland is located in the urogenital diaphragm in a section of the pelvic floor filled with connective tissue and is a paired gland. The duct of the gland is about five centimeters long and opens into the urethra.

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The bulbourethral gland was discovered by the English anatomist William Cowper in the late seventeenth century. Therefore it is also called Cowper's gland. The secretion produced by the bulbourethral gland is only secreted during sexual arousal and takes on preparatory functions for the actual sexual act.

It may already contain sperm, which can lead to pregnancy without ejaculation. Sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea (gonorrhea) can also be transmitted via the pleasure drops.

Function & task

When a man is sexually aroused, so-called pleasure drops emerge from the penis without ejaculation occurring. The secretion is basic and initially has a cleansing effect on the urethra. With the help of the pleasure drop urine residues are removed and the acidic environment in the urethra is neutralized. This is necessary because the sperm would not survive under acidic conditions. In addition, the acidic vaginal fluid in the vagina is neutralized by the pre-ejaculate when it comes into contact with the penis. The pleasure drop also acts as a lubricant for the ejaculate.

Earlier ideas assumed that the pre-ejaculate is free of sperm and therefore cannot cause pregnancies. However, recent research has shown the opposite. If the penis comes into contact with the vagina, even the pre-ejaculate that escapes during sexual arousal can lead to pregnancy. This happens very rarely, but it cannot be ruled out.

The pre-ejaculate naturally does not contain any sperm, as only pure secretion is formed in the bulbourethral gland. Sperm, on the other hand, arise in the Leydig cells of the testes and are stored in the epididymis.

Two possible causes are discussed for the small amount of sperm in the pleasure drops. If ejaculation had occurred some time before the sexual arousal was renewed, some sperm will remain in the urethra. The pre-ejaculate absorbs these and can thus lead to fertilization if the penis and vagina come into contact.

Furthermore, during sexual arousal, in addition to the secretion of pre-ejaculate, a little ejaculate enters the urethra before the actual ejaculation. The question arises whether this process can be traced back to anatomical features.

If there is no desire to have children, the use of a condom is a safe method of contraception regardless of whether ejaculation occurs or not.

The amount of pleasure drops produced varies from man to man. It can also vary with the same man in different phases of life or with different lengths of sexual arousal. However, it often depends on the size of the bulbourethral glands. With some men many drops of pleasure are produced, while with others they are hardly noticeable.

Illnesses & ailments

Diseases can also be transmitted via the pleasure drops. The bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae often plays an important role in this context. These bacteria cause inflammation of the urethra, known as gonorrhea or gonorrhea. If the posterior urethra is affected, the bulbourethral gland can also be affected. It is therefore possible that gonorrhea can also be transmitted through the pre-ejaculate.

The bacteria bind to the mucous membrane of the urethra or the cervix by means of thread-like extensions and trigger a purulent inflammation. Men experience itching in the urethra and burning pain when urinating. Inflammation and abscesses of the bulbourethral gland can also occur. Furthermore, strictures (constrictions) of the urethra are possible. Women suffer from a purulent discharge with involvement of the cervix.

However, non-gonorrheic inflammations of the urethra can also be transmitted via the pre-ejaculate. Often these are chlamydia, mycoplasma or fungi. The mechanism of transmission is similar to that of gonorrhea. First, the pathogens spread from the urethra to the bulbourethral gland and are passed on from there via the pleasure drops. It should be noted that Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia often occur together. In addition to gonorrhea, there is usually a chlamydial infection.

Both diseases must be treated with different antibiotics. After a penicillin treatment, a one-week therapy with tetracyclines against chlamydia is therefore often added. It is important to treat all sexual partners in order to avoid further mutual contamination.

Mycoplasmas cause similar symptoms. It is parasitic bacteria that often cause chronic inflammation. In the case of urethritis, it is Mycoplasma genitalium. Antibiotics are ineffective against these bacteria.

It is not clear to what extent prejaculates can also transmit HIV. Functional HI viruses were found in the secretion in two studies. However, there is no reliable knowledge of how the viruses can be transmitted via the pre-ejaculate.