Can swimming with men make you pregnant?

We’ve heard of all sorts of out-of-the-norm ways people got pregnant but have you heard of getting knocked up while out for a swim?

An Indonesian child protection officer broke the internet when she made claims that women could get pregnant when swimming with men.

In an interview with a local Indonesian news outlet, Sitti Hikmawatty claimed that very strong sperm could impregnate women even when there was no penetration.

“There is an especially strong type of male sperm that may cause pregnancy in a swimming pool,” she said. “Even without penetration.

“If women are in a phase where they are sexually active, [pregnancy] may occur. No one knows for sure how men react to the sight of women in a swimming pool.”

Health professionals called her out refuting her claims saying that it was highly improbable that a woman can get pregnant if she happens to be in a pool with a man or men.

They added that those who didn’t fully understand matters on health should refrain from giving medical advice.

Reports say that the Indonesian Doctors Association head, Dr Nazar, reiterated that getting pregnant while swimming was “impossible” adding that the chlorine in the water provided conditions that were too harsh for sperm to survive.

Blog Doctor, an Indonesian health influencer and doctor responded saying, “…swimming with the opposite sex will not cause pregnancy. Not all men who swim ejaculate and sperm cannot live in chlorinated pool water, let alone swim into the vagina.”

Locally, a doctor consulted by Eve Digital explained that if the water was at an ideal temperature and the man and woman in close proximity, there could be a chance, however, very small, of pregnancy occurring.

Hikmawatty, who is the Indonesian Child Protection Commission commissioner of health, narcotics and addictive substances, later apologised for her statement which she termed as ‘incorrect’. She, however, had already incurred the fury of netizens who called for her resignation over the embarrassing statement.