Sore After Dry Humping? Aunt Vadge Explains Why

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 7, 2026

Hi Aunt Vadge,

Recently my boyfriend and I have been dry humping. My vagina gets sore afterwards and I don’t understand why. Also, it’s not possible to get pregnant that way, right? All our clothes stay on and we thrust, but I read an article that said it’s possible to get pregnant. Please put my mind at ease.

Sincerely yours,
Concerned
Age 19, USA

Dear Concerned,

Put your mind fully at ease: you are 100% not pregnant. It’s simply not possible to get pregnant through clothing – for pregnancy, live sperm has to get inside the vagina, and with all your clothes on there’s no route for that whatsoever. Whatever article you read, fully-clothed dry humping is one of the safest things you can do, full stop, so that worry can go entirely.

The soreness is just friction. Thrusting against each other with clothes on rubs the vulva and the delicate skin around the entrance – through fabric, which can be a bit rough – so it ends up tender afterwards, exactly like chafing anywhere else on your body.

It’s nothing to worry about and settles on its own; to avoid it, ease up on the pressure, change position or rhythm so it’s not grinding on the same sore spot, and give it a rest when it’s tender.

If you’d like to never have the pregnancy worry hovering, it’s worth learning how you do and don’t get pregnant and tracking your cycle – but for clothed dry humping specifically, there’s really nothing to fear. Enjoy yourselves.

There’s more on whether pain and bleeding after fingering is normal.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.