Is lubrication a form of contraception?

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I was just reading a book on pregnancy related issues. I came across a section that said if you are trying to achieve pregnancy to avoid lubricants ( ky jelly for example and other such products) as they may destroy the sperm.

So this is what I was wondering… since lubricants destroy sperm are they considered artificial contraception even though most people do not use them for this purpose?
any thoughts on the issue?
 
There are a lot of women who would be unable to have sex without artificial lubricants.

I’ve never heard that lubricants destroy sperm. Usually they’re used on the outside of the vagina.
 
ky and other such lubricants are water-based and have no spermicidal properties. In Britain all active ingredients have to be clearly shown in the labelling so it’s fairly easy to tell just by looking at the label, whether something contains spermicide. I assume the US and Canada would have the same rules about labelling.
Can I just make it clear I used to work in a shop that sold such things - I’m not a consumer!😊
 
As long as the lubricant does not contain spermicide, it wouldn’t be contraception, there is nothing in the way to prevent conception. The non spermicidal lubricant just mimics what would be present in the vagina and what the vagina doesn’t produce enough of. The lubricant helps reduce irritation and friction. The packages for the lubricant usually have something on the label if it is spermiciadal. KY or the Equate are good, Equate is cheeper.

:manvspc:
 
Most lubricants are not designed to act as a spermicide unless labeled as such. HOWEVER, in some cases they can “kill” the sperm because it changes the pH environment inside the vagina. There are some lubricants out there that are marketed specifically as not doing this…I’m not sure how reliable those claims are though (those are usually the ones said to “help” conception). I’m pretty sure it doesn’t count as contraception because 1 - that is not its intended purpose and 2 - it’s pretty much not reliable at all. As I understand it, lubricants can hinder pregnancy only when other possible causes are present as well.
 
Any oil can trap and kill sperm.

This is the only product I’ve seen that does not have spermicidal properties: preseed.com/TheCompany/Product_Line.php

A lubricant CAN have spermicidal properties, even if it is not labeled as such. You have to remember that Catholic standards for this are going to be higher than the industry that produces these products. We need a product that is 100% not spermicidal - the industry only needs to meet certain criteria set by the FDA to be considered spermicidal. There is a BIG gray area in between where a product can be spermicidal, yet not enough so to be labeled as one.

If you KNOW a product has spermicidal properties and you still willingly use it, you are culpable of possible sin of contraception. If you KNOW, and there is something you can do about it, then you are required to make a change. You can not use “because I need it” or “because I like it” as an excuse if you are aware the product can be a barrier to life.

~Liza
 
Most of the most-used brands (like KY) are water-based and not spermicidal.
 
Nonsense. I got THREE irrefutable sets of human evidence that say that lubricants have no effect on semen - so far! 😉 (plain KY and Astroglide Glyceride free, anyways!)

Might there be SOME out there that do? Sure. I’d especially be suspicious of the kinds that claim to create chemically induced sensations. (such as certain KY products recently marketed heavily). But plain lubricants not advertised as spermicidal have no effect.

I think the claim comes from a certain segment of catholicism that still thinks women ought not enjoy sex, even within marriage. Such thinking needs squashing.
 
manualman said:
Nonsense. I got THREE irrefutable sets of human evidence that say that lubricants have no effect on semen - so far! 😉 (plain KY and Astroglide Glyceride free, anyways!)

Might there be SOME out there that do? Sure. I’d especially be suspicious of the kinds that claim to create chemically induced sensations. (such as certain KY products recently marketed heavily). But plain lubricants not advertised as spermicidal have no effect.

I think the claim comes from a certain segment of catholicism that still thinks women ought not enjoy sex, even within marriage. Such thinking needs squashing.
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Ditto.

“Spermicidal” means “containing some ingredient that is present for the sole purpose of killing sperm.” It does NOT mean “any product intended to supply lubrication that might possibly in some slight way change the environment to be not ideal for optimal sperm survival.” Just like we are not obligated to ONLY enjoy the marital embrace during the most fertile times of the month, so we are not obligated on pain of sin to jump through hoops to create the optimal environment for the survival of all possible sperm. This is scrupulosity, plain and simple.

Now, those couples who are trying to increase their chances of conception might want to be extra extra careful about sperm survival, but this is certainly not a moral responsibility. To declare it so places an undue burden on couples who do use “safe” lubricants. :nope: KY and Astroglide (and their store brand counterparts) are safe. “Safe” lubricants are MORALLY NEUTRAL.
 
I agree w/ those who say that lubricants are NOT spermicidal, unless clearly marked as such. Therefore, lubricants are licit. Obviously, ideally the best lubricant is that provided by the human body - specifically vaginal secretions. However, the body has another fluid that can also be used as a lubricant w/o having to purchase anything. :o

I also agree w/ the poster who indicated that if you’re having conception issues, you may want to avoid lubricants. Not necessarily b/c the lubricant will ‘kill’ the sperm, but b/c it dilutes the semen and vaginal secretions necessary for sperm survival. However, in a normal couple, the concentration of semen & vaginal secretions will not be highly diluted by a judicial use of lubricant.

Also, avoid lubricants if you have any type of issue w/ yeast infections or other vaginal/reproductive tract infections as these lubricants can sometimes be irritants in & of themselves.

I think there are lubricants marketed specifically for aiding conception, but I’m not sure of the brand or mechanism.
 
First of all, if a woman is unable to have sex because of a lack of natural body lubricant, she won’t be gettin’ pregnant! So to NOT use the lubricant would be a form of contraception!

If a woman with dry vaginal walls attempts to have sex, it’s possible that there could be abrasions in the vaginal walls, and this could lead to infections, even sepsis, and this could lead to sterility.

Secondly, if products that change the pH of the vagina are considered possible spermicides, then women had better not use antibiotics. Many times, antibiotics for common infections (e.g., Strep throat, Urinary tract infections, etc.) will change the pH of the vagina, killing off all the normal flora (the "good bacteria) that are in the vag, and the result is a walloping yeast infection. (Yuck–most women will NOT be able to have sex during a yeast infection, and most men won’t want to have sex with them!). So women who don’t want the pH changed should just suffer through the infection and hope they don’t die? I don’t think so.

As for the coconut oil, I’m a little wary of this, but I don’t know the facts. Is there sugar in the product (fructose?)? This can become a breeding ground for yeast infections. Sometimes the so-called “natural” products are not necessarily safe.

There is a Catholic organization–I believe it’s somewhere out west, that helps women who are having fertility issues, problems with their cycle, etc. (St. Pauls? It has the name of a saint.) Does anyone recognize what I’m referring to, and can you give us a link? I would trust what this place says about artificial lubricants.
 
BiologyBrain said:
Also, avoid lubricants if you have any type of issue w/ yeast infections or other vaginal/reproductive tract infections as these lubricants can sometimes be irritants in & of themselves.

I think there are lubricants marketed specifically for aiding conception, but I’m not sure of the brand or mechanism.
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They make lubricants that are glycerine-free, glycerine being one of the irritants.
 
Annn said:
They make lubricants that are glycerine-free, glycerine being one of the irritants.
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And those formulations do, indeed, resolve the issue. But they are hard to find. I noted one such above, but the version of Astroglide available in most stores is NOT that kind. You gotta buy it on-line usually. Glycerine breaks down into sugar-like molecules which are practically steroids for yeasts…
 
All I have to say is, I use KY most of the time, and I’m 7 months pregnant. 🙂
 
Cat said:
There is a Catholic organization–I believe it’s somewhere out west, that helps women who are having fertility issues, problems with their cycle, etc. (St. Pauls? It has the name of a saint.) Does anyone recognize what I’m referring to, and can you give us a link? I would trust what this place says about artificial lubricants.
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Its the Pope Paul VI Institute.

popepaulvi.com/
 
Cat said:
As for the coconut oil, I’m a little wary of this, but I don’t know the facts. Is there sugar in the product (fructose?)? This can become a breeding ground for yeast infections. Sometimes the so-called “natural” products are not necessarily safe.
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I know it sounds weird and I was a little wary of it as well until I tried it. I was getting multiple UTI’s from Astroglide and KY. Coconut oil is the only thing that works for me personally 🙂
 
Why not use PreSeed? It’s a lubricant specially designed not to harm sperm. preseed.com/

Though I think regular need for artificial lubricants, in absence of medical conditions, is evidence of a husband who ain’t doin’ his job in the bedroom. Spend some time warmin’ your ladies up, guys, and you won’t need anything from a tube!
 
grandiosa said:
Why not use PreSeed? It’s a lubricant specially designed not to harm sperm. preseed.com/

Though I think regular need for artificial lubricants, in absence of medical conditions, is evidence of a husband who ain’t doin’ his job in the bedroom. Spend some time warmin’ your ladies up, guys, and you won’t need anything from a tube!
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But for those of us that do have a medical reason, we could spend HOURS “warmin’” up and it wouldn’t make a difference.

And just wait, most women, by the time they reach menopause and for a few years before, NEED something from a tube.
 
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