- With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
"Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms
As medical editor-in-chief, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for MayoClinic.com to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.
The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a consultant and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.
From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs before taking this leadership role. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this Web site. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.
"My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."
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Question
Birth control: Can pre-ejaculation fluid cause pregnancy?
Can you get pregnant from pre-ejaculation fluid?
Answer
from Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Yes. Pre-ejaculation fluid may contain sperm, which means that a woman can get pregnant even when ejaculation doesn't occur within the vagina.
Withdrawal of the penis from the vagina before ejaculation is one of the oldest methods of birth control. It's free, readily available and has no side effects. Still, withdrawal is unreliable at best — and it offers no protection from sexually transmitted infections. If you're trying to prevent pregnancy, choose a more reliable type of birth control. If you're not sure which type of birth control is best for you, ask your doctor to help you understand the options.
Next questionVaginoplasty: OK for cosmetic purposes?
- Birth control methods. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/birth-control-methods.cfm. Accessed June 3, 2009.
- Natural methods of family planning FAQ. Family Health International. http://www.fhi.org/en/RH/FAQs/natural_faq.htm. Accessed June 3, 2009.
