The pleasure drop represents a glandular secretion, which comes out of the penis during sexual arousal before the actual ejaculation. In the context of sexual intercourse, this secretion has important functions to perform. Already the pleasure drop can contain some sperm and in rare cases lead to pregnancy.
What the drop of desire?
The pleasure drop is also called pre-ejaculate because it comes out of the penis before the actual ejaculation. The pleasure drop is also called pre-ejaculate because it comes out of the penis before actual ejaculation. It is a secretion of the bulbourethral gland, also called Cowper’s gland. The bulbourethral gland is located in the diaphragm urogenitale in a connective tissue-filled section of the pelvic floor and is a paired gland. The excretory duct of the gland is about five centimeters long and opens into the urethra. The bulbourethral gland was discovered in the late seventeenth century by the English anatomist William Cowper. Therefore, it is also known as Cowper’s gland. The secretion produced by the bulbourethral gland is secreted only during sexual arousal and performs preparatory functions for the actual sexual act. It may already contain sperm, which sometimes leads to pregnancy without ejaculation. Venereal diseases such as gonorrhea (gonorrhea) can also be transmitted via the desire drop.
Function and task
Already during sexual arousal, the so-called lust drops come out of the penis in men, without ejaculation having occurred. The secretion is alkaline and initially has a cleansing effect on the urethra. With the help of the pleasure drop, urine residues are removed and the acidic environment in the urethra is neutralized. This is necessary because sperm would not survive in acidic conditions. Furthermore, the acidic vaginal fluid of the vagina is also neutralized by the pre-ejaculate upon contact with the penis. The pleasure drop also acts as a lubricant for the ejaculate. Earlier ideas assumed that the pre-ejaculate is free of sperm and therefore cannot cause pregnancies. However, recent studies have shown the opposite. When the penis comes into contact with the vagina during sexual arousal, the escaping pre-ejaculate can already lead to pregnancy. Although this happens very rarely, it cannot be ruled out. The pre-ejaculate does not naturally contain sperm, since only pure secretion is formed in the bulbourethral gland. Sperm, on the other hand, are formed in the Leydig cells of the testes and are stored in the epididymis. Two possible causes are discussed for the low amount of sperm in the desire drops. If ejaculation had already occurred some time before renewed sexual arousal, some sperm are still left in the urethra. The pre-ejaculate absorbs these and can thus lead to fertilization when the penis and vagina come into contact. Furthermore, it is also possible that during sexual arousal, in addition to the secretion of pre-ejaculate, a little ejaculate simultaneously enters the urethra before the actual ejaculation. The question arises whether this process is due to anatomical peculiarities. In any case, if there is no desire to have children, the use of a condom is a safe method of pregnancy prevention regardless of whether ejaculation occurs or not. The amount of pleasure drops produced varies from man to man. It can also vary in the same man at different stages of life or during different lengths of sexual arousal. However, it often depends on the size of the bulbourethral glands. So, in some men, many pleasure drops are produced, while in others they are hardly noticeable.
Diseases and ailments
Diseases can also be transmitted via the lust drops. In this context, the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae often plays a major role. These bacteria cause inflammation of the urethra, known as gonorrhea or gonorrhea. If the posterior urethra is affected, the bulbourethral gland may also be affected by the disease. Therefore, it is possible that gonorrhea is also transmissible through the pre-ejaculate. The bacteria attach to the mucosa of the urethra or cervix by means of filamentous projections and cause purulent inflammation. In men, there is itching in the urethra and burning pain when urinating.Inflammation and abscesses of the bulbourethral gland can also occur. Furthermore, even strictures (narrowing) of the urethra are possible. Women suffer from a purulent discharge when the cervix is involved. However, non-gonorrheal inflammations of the urethra can also be transmitted via the pre-ejaculate. These are often chlamydia, mycoplasma or fungi. The transmission mechanism is similar to that of gonorrhea. Initially, the pathogens spread from the urethra to the bulbourethral gland and are passed on from there via the lust drops. It should be noted that Neisseria gonorrhoeae and chlamydia often occur together. Thus, in addition to gonorrhea, there is usually also a chlamydial infection. Both diseases must be treated with different antibiotics. Therefore, after penicillin treatment, a one-week therapy with tetracyclines against chlamydia is often added. It is important to treat all sexual partners to avoid further mutual infections. Mycoplasmas cause similar symptoms. They are parasitic bacteria that often cause chronic inflammation. In the case of urethritis, the bacteria is Mycoplasma genitalium. Antibiotics are ineffective against these bacteria. The extent to which pre-ejaculates can also transmit HIV has not been clarified. In two studies, functional HI viruses were detected in the secretion. However, there is no firm knowledge on the transmission of viruses via pre-ejaculate.
