The prostate gland is one of the most important organs of the male reproductive system. The main function of this gland is to make prostate fluid, which along with the sperms make up the seminal fluid or semen. The prostate gland muscles help in propelling this semen into the urethra at the time of ejaculation.
Can A Man Get A Woman Pregnant Without A Prostate?
Well, a simple answer to this question would be no. It is not possible to get a woman pregnant in absence of the prostate gland in the male. Let us see a detailed version of this.
Removing the prostate gland, in part or in full, is known as prostatectomy. There are many reasons to get the prostate removed. If the entire prostate gland is removed it is termed as a radical prostatectomy. There are three ways to do this –
- Retropubic prostatectomy, wherein an incision is taken in the abdomen to remove the prostate
- Perineal prostatectomy- wherein an incision is taken between the scrotum and the anus and
- Laparoscopic prostatectomy- wherein small incisions are taken on the abdomen with the help of a scope and thin tools. This is also known as a robotic-assisted surgery.
Prostatectomy Leads To Sterility
Sterility or infertility is an inability to conceive a pregnancy in a woman, even after having an unprotected sexual intercourse for 1 year if the female is less than 35 years of age and for up to six months if above the age of 35 years.
Prostatectomy involves the removal of the prostate gland that makes the prostate fluid which is a component of the semen and also the removal of the nearby seminal vesicles
- Prostate gland makes most of the fluid that is released during an ejaculation
- The seminal vesicles also make some fluid
- As a result of the prostatectomy, this no longer happens and there is no semen production
- Hence, men who have their prostate removed experience dry orgasms
This gives us our answer that a man who has undergone a prostatectomy or prostate removal cannot get a woman pregnant during a sexual intercourse
Let us see how a prostate gland works:
- The prostate gland is a muscular gland.
- It weighs about 20 gm.
- It is present just below the bladder surrounding the urethra.
- It secretes a fluid that contains different enzymes, citric acid and zinc and makes up about 1/3 of the semen apart from the sperms
- At the time of ejaculation, million sperms move from the testes into the prostate area
- The prostate contracts and closes the opening between the bladder and the urethra, at the same time releases fluid into the urethra and pushes semen further on
- Seminal vesicles also make a fluid that is a part of the semen
Considering all this, the importance of the prostate gland as a reproductive organ and its role in the fertility mechanism is quite big.
In absence of this gland and the nearby seminal vesicles, it is not possible to ejaculate semen during an orgasm, resulting in dry orgasm and thereby making it impossible to get a woman pregnant during a sexual intercourse.
However, if methods like sperm banking are considered, then there is a chance of getting a woman pregnant even without a prostate.
Prior to the removal of the prostate, one can collect and store the sperms in a sperm bank, with the guidance of a fertility specialist.
This sperm can be recovered later and used for the artificial insemination in the woman, which is a technique of assisted reproduction; and thus, get the woman pregnant with this sperm.
While it is not possible to get a woman pregnant without the prostate, it is still possible to get her pregnant by the method of artificial insemination, which involves the collection and storage of sperms prior to the prostate surgery for a later use.
Also Read:
- Prostate Pain: Classification, Types, Etiology, Risk Factors, Signs, Symptoms, Treatment
- Indications for Prostate Removal Surgery & its Procedure, Risks & Side Effects
- Enlarged Prostate in Young Men: Symptoms, Causes, Natural Remedies, Complications
- 6 Essential Vitamins for Prostate Health
- Can A Prostate Infection Go Away On Its Own?
- Signs of Acute & Chronic Bacterial Prostate Infection
- Healthy Prostate: These 6 Superfoods Will Boost the Health of Your Prostate