Right On!

False. Sure, it sounds possible that sex in a hot tub could boil sperm to death. Or that standing up would make the sperm tumble back to earth. And why won't washing with water, soda, or a douche kill those sperm?

Because our friend the sperm is a hardy critter. You thought Extreme Sports were limited to us humans? Sperm would put any extreme snowboarder to shame. Let's review the numbers, shall we? First, millions of sperm are released at each ejaculation. Second, it takes just one successful sperm to make your unprotected sex a pregnancy. Third, these sperm want it BAD. They keep swimming towards the egg for 6 hours or more after you've finished having sex. Fourth: once sperm are inside a woman's body they can defy what's going on outside - heat, gravity, earthquakes, even invasions of killer bees.

What will stop sperm from their goal? Barriers - like condoms, diaphragms, and the female condom. Spermicides (gels that kill sperm), when used with condoms or diaphragms can also help. Other birth control -- like Norplant, the birth control pill, and DepoProvera ("the shot") - make sure you don't get pregnant by doing their work in a woman's body rather than by killing the sperm. Remember that while all of these methods are good birth control, and can protect you from the eager sperm, only condoms can protect you from most sexually transmitted diseases.

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