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Semen (spunk, come, jiz , juice ,
cum in vulgar slang, also ejaculate) is the fluid discharged through the male penis, which, during vaginal intercourse, carries sperm into the
female, sometimes resulting in pregnancy. Semen is a whitish, milky fluid, slightly viscous, containing water and small amounts of salt, protein, and fructose sugar,
and is in itself harmless on the skin or if swallowed. However, semen can be the vehicle
for many sexually transmitted diseases,
including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Any kind of
sexual or other skin contact with the semen of a person infected with HIV should be avoided, even by persons already infected
with the virus, as this may cause harmful re-infection.
Spermotozoa (or sperm, for short) are produced in the testicles, and most of the remaining fluid is produced by the prostate. At the time of male orgasm, semen is ejected through the
urethra of the penis in a process called "ejaculation".
All sexual behaviors that result in the contact of semen with
the vagina or vulva may result in pregnancy at
any time unless adequate contraceptive (birth control) measures are in force. No form of birth control (except for total abstinence or a successful sterilization) protects a woman entirely from pregnancy; for example condoms used perfectly are approximately 97% effective against pregnancy over one year (i.e. 3 out of 100 women will
become pregnant in this time). "Unprotected" sexual intercourse
(that is, sex without the use of contraceptives) between a biological male and female is generally the most effective cause of
pregnancy. When a male is sexually excited, a small amount of a clear fluid (pre-ejaculate) may leak out of the penis before orgasm and ejaculation. One reason that coitus interruptus ("withdrawal" of the penis from the vagina just
before the ejaculation of the penis) is not a very effective contraceptive method during heterosexual intercourse is that this
pre-ejaculate fluid may also contain sperm.
In some cultures, semen is attributed with special properties of masculinity. For instance, some cultures in the South Seas
have termed it jerungdu and believed that ingestion by boys was necessary for their proper sexual maturation. Other
cultures believe semen to have beneficial qualities when applied to the skin, mainly for cosmetic purposes.
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