Most commercially available personal lubricants have a harmful impact on sperm. While this isn’t talked about very much, research suggests that women trying to conceive should avoid using commercial water-based lubricants.
This doesn’t mean that personal lubricants can be used as a form of contraception. Personal lubricants do not provide contraceptive protection.
The two issues to consider from this perspective are the motility of sperm (their ability to swim) and the longevity or viability of sperm (basically, how long the sperm is good for).
A 1996 study published in the International Journal of Fertility and Menopausal Studies examined the impact four commercially available personal lubricants (K-Y Jelly, Astroglide, Replens, and Touch) and two vegetable oil products (including canola oil) had on sperm motility and viability. Researchers took samples of sperm and mixed them with the lubricants, then measured the effects at the one, 15, 30, and 60 minute marks.
They found that all four of the commercial lubricants inhibited sperm motility by 60 to 100 percent after 60 minutes. This effect was similar to the use of nonoxynol-9, a common spermicide found in contraceptive foam and jelly. Canola oil had no negative effects on sperm.
These results have been replicated in a non-clinical setting as well. I spoke with a chemist at Davryan Labs (the makers of Probe personal lubricant ) who carried out independent lab tests and found that all sperm were dead within 24 hours, and most within the first couple of hours. The chemist at Probe suggested that the PH variance, salinity, and preservative content in lubricants were likely the causes of sperm damage.
There is one commercially available lubricant specifically designed not to harm sperm called Pre-seed. Some people say that you can use pure glycerin as a lubricant, but this may not be a good option if you are prone to yeast infections. I have also read about people using egg whites, but I haven’t been able to find any research related to the safety of this.
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