On the beach, in the pool

What in the rest of the year is limited to the bathtub or the shower, with the rise in temperatures it extends to the seashore or to the pool. Having sex in the water is always fashionable in summer, but ... does it cause a problem? The answer is yes. Many are the false myths that surround sexual practice in the aquatic environment. We know less than we think, that is why José Bustamante, psychologist and sexologist, and Ignacio Moncada, president of the Spanish Association for Sexual Health, remove our doubts and answer the four questions that we have always asked ourselves about this practice.

Does water increase the risk of pregnancy?

Having sex in the water poses some difficulties with the use of contraceptives. In the case of women, "the use of oral or vaginal contraceptives, such as the pill or the IUD, will not pose a risk of pregnancy," explains Bustamante. The biggest problem is found in the use of condoms, since "latex could lose efficiency as it becomes porous and could break," he says.

For this reason, he recommends "performing the penetration out of the water, even if it is less erotic or less passionate and then entering the water, in this way we will avoid that the condom suffers damage".
For his part, Ignacio Moncada points out that it is likely that "by having sex in water there is less risk of pregnancy because sperm can come out more easily, not be fertile and be destroyed with water."

Does water help lubrication?

No, false. Ignacio Moncada goes further: "The salt from the sea or the chlorine in the pool can cause irritations".

This is because even though we are in a liquid medium, dryness appears. "The usual flow that appears in female arousal that facilitates penetration, disappears through the water and makes it difficult for intercourse to be fluid", clarifies José Bustamante.

Does it increase the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or infections?

The risk of sexually transmitted diseases does not increase as much as that of bacterial infections. "The sea and the water in the swimming pools promote the growth of germs since the environment is contaminated, so there is a greater risk than if sex is practiced in bed", indicates the sexologist.

"As there is less lubrication, chafing can occur. These small wounds on the genitals can cause the appearance of opportunistic parasites," he adds.

In relation to sexually transmitted diseases, Bustamante points out that "there is the same probability of acquiring a pathology of these characteristics as if intercourse were carried out in a dry environment since it will depend on the type of contraceptive method used".

Why are the aquatic environment chosen as a place to have sex?

The aquatic environment has always been related to sexuality. "Many times, erotic dreams are related to some aquatic scene, be it a waterfall, a pool or a jacuzzi. The water envelops and produces a certain sensation of pleasure, it makes us lighter, lighter and this makes it more attractive from the erotic point of view ", highlights Ignacio Moncada.

In addition, in summer "the sun favors an increase in sexual desire and generates an increase in testosterone in men and in women as well, this is one of the reasons that make this type of relationship desirable", adds the sexologist.