Fellatio 11258 225978255 2008-07-16T08:34:11Z Micov 4757196 {{Pp-semi-vandalism|small=yes}} {{redirect|Blow job|the film|Blow Job (film)}} {{redirect|Chickenhead (sexuality)||Chickenhead}} [[Image:Édouard-Henri Avril (20).jpg|thumb|right|Illustration by [[Édouard-Henri Avril]]]] '''Fellatio''', also called '''fellation'''<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=fellation Va=fellation - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.]</ref>, is [[oral sex]] performed upon the [[penis]]. It may be performed to induce [[orgasm]] and [[ejaculation]] of [[semen]], oftenly a [[cum shot]], or it can be used as [[foreplay]] prior to [[sexual intercourse|vaginal]] or [[anal sex|anal]] forms of [[human sexuality|intercourse]]. Fellatio, or, more precisely, fellating to the point of orgasm, is commonly referred to as a '''blow job'''.<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blow+job Blow job - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.]</ref> Fellatio is sometimes referred to as "giving head", although this term can also apply to [[cunnilingus]]. An alternative method of oral sex performed on men is [[irrumatio]]. ==Etymology== The [[English language|English]] noun ''fellatio'' comes from ''{{lang|la|fellātus}}'', which in [[Latin language|Latin]] is the past [[past participle|participle]] of the verb ''{{lang|la|fellāre}}'', meaning to suck. In ''Fellatio'' the ''-us'' is replaced by the ''-io'', an alternate form of the suffix ''-ion''. The ''-ion'' or ''-io'' ending is used in English to create nouns from Latin [[adjectives]] and indicate a state or action wherein the Latin verb is being, or has been, performed. Further English words have been created based on the same Latin root. A person who performs fellatio upon another may be termed a ''fellator'' (or ''cocksucker'', usually considered obscene). Because of Latin's [[grammatical gender|gender based declension]], this word may be restricted by some English speakers to describing a male. The equivalent female term is ''fellatrix''. ==Cultural significance== Some receivers regard receiving oral sex as an ego boost, believing that such an act is a form of [[Dominance and submission|dominance]] over their sexual partner because of the overt submissive nature of the act; the giver may often be on their knees before the receiver to perform the act of pleasure.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Book of the Penis|author=Paley, Maggie|year=2000}}</ref> In ancient Greece, fellatio was referred to as "playing the flute"; the Kama Sutra has a chapter on [[oparishtaka]], or “mouth congress.”<ref name=Badger>[http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2003/04/09/the_ageold_question_.php The Badger Herald - The age-old question: Spit or swallow?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Religious significance== Galienus called fellatio "lesbiari" since women of the island of [[Lesbos]] were supposed to have been the introducer of the practice to use ones lips to give sexual pleasure.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/priap/prp105.htm Irrumation<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The [[India|Ancient Indian]] [[Kama Sutra]], dating from the first centuries [[AD]], describes oral sex,<ref>[http://www.kamashastra.com/kama209.htm The actual kama sutra or kamasutra: Part II: On Sexual Union: Chapter IX. On Holding the Lingam in the Mouth by Kamashastra<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> discussing fellatio in great detail and only briefly mentioning [[cunnilingus]]. However, according to the Kama Sutra, fellatio is above all a characteristic of [[eunuch]]s (or, according to other translations, of [[effeminate]] [[homosexuals]] or [[transwomen]] similar to the modern [[Hijra (South Asia)|Hijra]] of India), who use their mouths as a substitute for female [[genitalia]]. The author states that it is also practiced by "unchaste women" but mentions widespread traditional concerns about this being a degrading or unclean practice, with known practitioners being evaded as love partners in large parts of the country. He seems to agree with these attitudes to some extent, claiming "a wise man" should not engage in that form of intercourse while acknowledging that it can be appropriate in some unspecified cases. The religious historian [[Mircea Eliade]] speaks of a desire to transcend old age and death and achieve a state of ''nirvana'' in the [[Hindu]] practice of [[Tantra|Tantric]] yoga. In Tantric yoga the same emphasis is placed on the retention and absorption of vital liquids and Sanskrit texts describe how semen must not be emitted if the yogi is to avoid falling under law of time and death.<ref>Eliade Mircea. [1954] 1973. ''Yoga, Immortality and Freedom''. trans. Willard R. Trask. (Princeton: Princeton University Press). p. 267-268</ref> In [[Islamic]] literature the only two forms of sex that are explicitly prohibited within marriage are [[anal sex]] and sex during [[menstrual cycle]]s.<ref>[http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=825 Regarding 'Oral Sex'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> But the exact attitude towards oral sex is a subject of disagreements between modern scholars of Islam. In Islamic terminology the practice hasn't been described as [[haraam|haram]] (forbidden) but some have claimed that it is [[makruh]] (undesirable).{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Authorities considering it "objectionable" do so because of the contact between the supposedly impure fluids emitted during intercourse and the mouth.<ref>[http://www.zawaj.com/articles/fatwa_oral_muzammil.html ZAWAJ.COM: Articles and Essays<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.zawaj.com/articles/fatwa_oral_desai.html ZAWAJ.COM: Articles and Essays<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Others emphasise there is no decisive evidence to forbid it.<ref>http://www.islamonline.com/cgi-bin/news_service/fatwah_story.asp?service_id=318</ref> [[Image:Fellatiomoche.jpg|thumb|right|Moche Ceramic Depicting Fellatio. 300 A.D. [[Larco Museum|Larco Museum Collection]]]] The [[Moche]] culture of ancient [[Peru]] worshipped daily life including sexual acts. They depicted fellatio in their ceramics.<ref>Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the [[Larco Museum|Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera]].'' New York: [[Thames and Hudson]], 1997.</ref> ==Ingestion of semen== While lower risk than [[anal sex]], exposure of the cells lining the mouth to semen carrying [[HIV]] can put the person performing oral sex at risk.<ref>http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa19.htm</ref> Exposure of cells lining the mouth to alcoholic beverages can increase this risk<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4123193.stm</ref>. HIV can also enter through open sores or bleeding gums. A very small percentage of people are allergic to semen.<ref>[http://www.teenhealthfx.com/answers/Sexuality/1230.html TeenHealthFX - Answers - Swallowing Semen<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Nancy Friday]]'s book, ''[[Men in Love - Men's Sexual Fantasies: The Triumph of Love over Rage]]'' claims that swallowing ejaculate is high on the intimacy scale. As late as 1976, doctors were advising women in the eighth and ninth months of pregnancy not to swallow semen lest it induce premature labor.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pregnant Couple's Guide to Sex, Romance, and Intimacy|author=Sandra Margot, Tonianne Robino|pages=122-123}}</ref> As it is very safe to swallow semen during pregnancy, fellatio is sometimes practiced as a replacement for vaginal sex by couples looking to engage in a sexually pleasurable activity while avoiding the difficulty of vaginal intercourse during the later stages of pregnancy.<ref>[http://www.babycenter.com/400_is-it-safe-to-swallow-semen-during-pregnancy_510175_1000.bc Is it safe to swallow semen during pregnancy? - BabyCenter<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Semen ingestion has also had central importance in some cultures around the world. In [[Baruya]] culture, women engage in fellatio and swallow semen when they need physical strength.<ref>{{cite book|title=What It Means to Be a Man: Reflections on Puerto Rican Masculinity|author=Rafael L. Ramírez|pages=40}}</ref> ===Pregnancy=== Fellatio alone cannot result in [[pregnancy]], there is no way for [[sperm]] from the [[penis]] to enter the [[uterus]] and [[fallopian tubes]] to fertilize an [[ovum|egg]]. In humans, there is no connection between the [[gastrointestinal system]] and the [[reproductive tract]]. Ingested sperm will be killed and broken down by [[acid]] in the [[stomach]] and [[protein]]s in the [[small intestine]]. The breakdown products will be absorbed as a negligible quantity of [[nutrients]]. Despite this, fellatio does carry a potential risk of pregnancy if [[semen]] from the man comes in contact with the [[vaginal]] area indirectly. This can occur if the semen in the [[ejaculate]] is carried on the fingers, hands, or other body parts; and comes in contact with the vaginal area. It is therefore still necessary to exercise caution when engaging in fellatio to prevent pregnancy. About.com's Teen Advice, is regularily asked if fellatio can lead to pregnancy<ref name=about.com_embarrassingsex>{{cite web |url=http://teenadvice.about.com/od/sexuallyactive/a/sillysexqa.htm|title=Your Most Embarrassing Sex Questions Answered|accessdate=2008-07-10}}</ref>. ===Link to reducing preeclampsia=== It has been suggested that fellatio may, through "immune modulation",<ref name="bbc">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1803978.stm Sex 'primes woman for sperm' BBC News</ref> have a beneficial role in preventing dangerous complications during pregnancy. Specifically, several research groups<ref>{{cite journal |last=Koelman |coauthors=''et al.'' |year=2000 |title=Correlation between oral sex and a low incidence of preeclampsia: A role for soluble HLA in seminal fluid? |journal=Journal of Reproductive Immunology |volume=46 |pages=155–166 |doi=10.1016/S0165-0378(99)00062-5 }}</ref> have reported that [[preeclampsia]], a life threatening complication that sometimes arises in pregnancy, is much less frequent in couples who have practiced oral sex, and even more rare in couples where fellatio regularly ended with a woman's swallowing of her partner's semen. The results were statistically significant and are consistent with the fact that semen contains several agents that have important roles in the prevention of preeclampsia, which may arise out of an [[immunological]] condition.<ref name="bbc"><ref>Taylor RN (1997) "Review: Immunobiology of preeclampsia" American Journal of Reproductive Immunology Volume 37 pp. 79-86</ref><ref>Chaouat et al., (2005) "Fourth International Workshop on Immunology of Pre-eclampsia, December 2004, Reunion, France" Journal of Reproductive Immunology Volume 67 pp. 103-111</ref> According to that view, preeclampsia is caused by a failure of the mother to accept the [[fetus]] and [[placenta]], which both contain "foreign" [[protein]]s from the father's [[gene]]s. Regular exposure to the father's semen helps cause her immune system to gradually "grow accustomed" to their proteins. Other studies also found that, while any exposure to the partner's sperm during sex appears to decrease the chances of various disorders, women in couples who have practiced "sex acts other than [[sexual intercourse|intercourse]]" are less than half as likely to suffer preeclampsia. The studies noted that it would be impossible to assume conclusively the likely protective effect of the "other sex acts" including oral sex, or that the correlation between these sexual practices was due to the presence of collinearity induced by some other protective factor not noted in the studies: for example, greater overall frequency of sex.<ref name="bbc">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1803978.stm Sex 'primes woman for sperm' BBC News</ref> The standard way to resolve such [[confounding]] questions in medical science would be through a [[randomized trial]], but there are unique challenges to research in sexual health.<ref>Schroder KEE, Carey MP, Vanable PA (2003) Methodological Challenges in Research on Sexual Risk Behavior: I. Item Content, Scaling, and Data Analytical Options. Annals of Behavioral Medicine Volume 26, Issue 2, Pages 76-103.</ref> Candidates for a protective agent in semen may include serum hormone leutinizing agent and [[transforming growth factor beta]].{{Verify source|date=May 2007}} ==STD risk== [[Chlamydia infection|Chlamydia]], [[human papillomavirus]] (HPV), [[gonorrhea]], [[Herpes simplex virus|herpes]], [[hepatitis]] (multiple strains), and other [[sexually transmitted disease]]s (STDs), as well as viruses such as [[HIV]], can be transmitted through oral sex.<ref>[http://www.uhs.uga.edu/sexualhealth/oral_sex.html#safe University Health Center | Sexual Health | Oral Sex<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> While the risk of transmitting HIV through fellatio is unknown, it is suspected to be rare. Any kind of direct contact with body fluids of a person infected with [[HIV]], the virus that causes [[AIDS]], poses a risk of infection. The risk from most of these types of infection, however, is generally considered far lower than that associated with [[vaginal sex|vaginal]] or [[anal sex]]. If the receiving partner has wounds on their genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in their mouth, or bleeding gums, this poses an increased risk of STD transmission. Brushing the teeth, flossing, undergoing dental work, or eating crunchy foods such as potato crisps relatively soon before or after giving fellatio can also increase the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth. These wounds, even when they are [[microscopic]], increase the chances of contracting [[Sexually transmitted disease|STD]]s that can be transmitted orally under these conditions. Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from common [[bacteria]] and [[viruses]] found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of this, some medical professionals advise the use of [[condom]]s when performing or receiving fellatio with a partner whose STD status is unknown. Flavoured condoms may be used for this purpose. ===HPV and oral cancer link=== In 2005, a research study at the College of [[Malmö]] in [[Sweden]] suggested that performing unprotected [[oral sex]] on a person infected with [[HPV]] might increase the risk of [[oral cancer]] . The study found that 36 percent of the [[cancer patient]]s had HPV compared to only 1 percent of the healthy control group. <ref>[http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=5822 Oral Sex Linked To Mouth Cancer Risk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Another recent study suggests a [[correlation]] between oral sex and [[head and neck cancer|throat cancer]]. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of [[human papillomavirus]] or (HPV) because this virus has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers. The study concludes that people who had one to five oral-sex partners in their lifetime had approximately a doubled risk of throat cancer compared with those who never engaged in this activity and those with more than five oral-sex partners had a 250 percent increased risk.<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn11819&feedId=online-news_rss20 Oral sex can cause throat cancer - 09 May 2007 - New Scientist<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==See also== *[[Oral sex#Prevention|Safe oral sex technique]] *[[Autofellatio]] *[[Pearl necklace (sexuality)|Pearl necklace]] == References == {{reflist|2}} {{Sex}} [[Category:Human sexuality]] [[Category:Oral eroticism]] [[Category:Penis]] [[Category:Sexual acts]] [[bg:Фелацио]] [[da:Fellatio]] [[de:Fellatio]] [[el:Πεολειχία]] [[es:Felación]] [[fr:Fellation]] [[ko:펠라치오]] [[ms:Fellatio]] [[nl:Fellatio]] [[ja:フェラチオ]] [[pl:Fellatio]] [[pt:Felação]]