The effect lubricants may have on fertility is especially relevant to couples trying to conceive. Difficulty with vaginal dryness is twice as common in trying-to-conceive couples than in the general population. Also, problems with vaginal dryness tend to increase the longer a couple is seeking to get pregnant. According to one study, one in four couples reported using personal lubricants (that were not fertility-friendly) while trying to conceive. With the increase in fertility-friendly lubricants on the market, it’s likely that more people are now aware that they should not be using non-sperm-friendly lubes. However, if you’re one of those who didn’t know, you’re far from alone. What’s the problem with regular lubricants? And how might they impact sperm?
How Lubricants Impact Sperm
Several studies have looked at the effect various lubricants have on sperm, at least in vitro. Researchers have investigated:
How well the sperm swim (motility) after exposure to the lubricantWhether or not DNA damage occurredWhether sperm were still alive
One study compared sperm motility after exposure to Pre-Seed (a fertility-friendly lubricant), Astroglide (the non-TTC version), KY Warming, KY Sensitive, KY Tingling, baby oil, canola oil, sesame oil, and mustard oil. We know that sperm make the transition from the semen and into cervical mucus about 1.5 minutes after intercourse. Therefore, researchers examined what percentage of sperm were moving after 0 minutes, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes of exposure to a 10% solution of the various lubricants. This is what they found:
Pre-Seed was the least harmful to sperm, with only a small (but still significant) decrease in sperm movement.KY lubricants were the most harmful to sperm movement, with KY Tingling reducing sperm movement to almost nothing after 60 minutes. Astroglide was also significantly harmful to sperm movement. After 60 minutes, under 60% were moving. (Compare that to Pre-Seed, where just under 80% were still moving after an hour.) Of the oils, mustard oil was the best for sperm motility. In fact, there was no decrease in sperm motility at all.Baby oil was more sperm-friendly than Astroglide, but not as sperm-friendly as Pre-Seed.Sesame oil was the worst of the oils, with results similar to Astroglide, but still better than KY.
A separate study compared the lubricants Pre-Seed, FemGlide, Replens, and Astroglide to a control substance. Compared to the control, they found that sperm motility decreased:
By 3% with Pre-SeedBy 23% with FemGlideBy 60% with ReplensBy 99% with Astroglide
It’s important to recognize the Astroglide tested was not its fertility-friendly version. While there are many lubricants that advertise they are sperm-friendly, there is little independent research on how they perform. One study compared various lubricants, including some marketed as fertility-friendly. They found that:
Sperm exposed to Pre-Seed had the best vitality (live sperm) numbers, with 92% still alive after two hours of exposure.ConceivePlus was next best, with just over 70% still alive two hours after collection.Both Pre-Seed and Conceive Plus left more sperm alive after two hours compared to the lab control.MaybeBaby, a supposed fertility-friendly lubricant, left only 50% of the sperm alive.ForeLife, another “sperm-friendly” lube, performed the worst, with only 27% vitality after two hours.
Sperm-Friendly Lubricants
There are lubricants that have been made to be fertility-friendly. The most popular sperm-friendly lubricants are PreSeed and ConceivePlus. It may be possible to use raw egg whites as a personal lubricant, and some people do it. The idea is that it would be closest to nature’s fertility-friendly lubricant, egg white cervical mucus. However, there is a risk of allergic reaction (if you have an allergy to eggs) and possible salmonella poisoning. Plus, it’s kind of messy. Canola oil and plain baby oil are somewhat sperm-friendly options. But they may lead to vaginal infection or irritation. Saliva is not a sperm-friendly option. The acidity is harmful to sperm.
Lubricants Aren’t Spermicide
While regular personal lubricants may not be great for sperm, they are not the same as spermicidal foams and creams. This is an important clarification. If you do want to get pregnant, be sure not to (slightly) impact your odds of success by using a lubricant that isn’t ideal for conception.
A Word From Verywell
Your vaginal discharge changes throughout your cycle, with more present closer to ovulation. Also known as cervical mucus, this naturally made lubricant, helps sperm to swim and survive in the vaginal environment. Unless a lubricant has been specifically made for trying to conceive, you should be wary. Both water- and oil-based lubricants have been found to interfere with sperm movement, and some kill or alter the DNA of sperm. It’s also important to mention that a lack of arousal fluids or cervical mucus may indicate a fertility problem. Frequent difficulty with arousal fluids may indicate a hormonal imbalance or an ovulation problem. If you frequently experience vaginal dryness and have not mentioned it to your doctor, be sure to speak up. It may help your doctor treat your infertility.
