Ask Pat

I had sex and the condom got lost inside me.

Q)I had sex and the condom got lost inside me. Then the next day it came out. There was semen in the condom but I am not sure if the sperm died. What are the chances it died in the condom? How long can sperm live inside a condom?

A)

Sperm can live about 72 hours, and it varies as to how long they remain motile or possibly how long they can impregnate someone. I would say that there certainly was risk by having the condom inside of you; how much risk, I cannot give an actual percentage. Certainly, if your period was delayed, or 10-14 days after this incident you still did not get a period, I would recommend a pregnancy test.