Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to family planning.
Pre-Seed Fertility Lubricant is a sexual lubrication product sold by a company called First Response. The company claims that Pre-Seed can support sperm quality and that it’s a better option for couples trying to conceive than traditional lubricant.
But is regular sexual lubrication actually harmful to fertility? Is Pre-Seed proven to increase pregnancy rates? Does Pre-Seed contain research-backed ingredients for supporting fertility? And how do real users rate and describe their experience with Pre-Seed Lubricant?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze medical studies to determine if regular lubricant is actually harmful to fertility.
We'll also review the studies on Pre-Seed to give our take on whether it's likely to be effective or if it's a waste of money.
We'll analyze the ingredients in Pre-Seed to determine if they have research backing or if they may be harmful, and feature Pre-Seed customer reviews.
Is Regular Lubricant Harmful to Fertility?
Whether or not Pre-Seed is worth the money depends in part on whether standard sexual lubrication products have a positive or negative effect on fertility.
This has been studied in medical trials.
A medical review published in the Obstetrics & Gynecology journal examined the effects of lubricant on natural fertility. The researchers analyzed results from 19 clinical trials on the topic.
The study authors noted that while in vitro (test tube) studies found some lubricants to decrease sperm motility, there was no difference in fertility rates in population studies comparing couples using lubricant to couples going without lubricant.
A 2018 meta-study found similar results. The researchers pooled data from pregnancy planners across different countries where patients trying to conceive had completed questionnaires about sexual activity (including lubricant use).
This study further broke down the lubrication use data into different categories: water-based lubricant, oil-based lubricant and silicone-based lubricant. None of the different types of lubricants delayed pregnancies or reduced probability of pregnancy.
Based on the available research on the topic, we do not consider sexual lubrication use to be a risk to fertility.
But is Pre-Seed clinically proven to actually increase fertility rates? We'll analyze in the next section.
Is Pre-Seed Proven to Work?
The effectiveness of Pre-Seed on increasing fertility rates has been tested in several clinical trials published in peer-reviewed medical journals, which is the gold standard of product research.
A 2014 medical review on vaginal lubricants and sperm function compared the effects of a variety of commercial lubricants including Pre-Seed.
The results from this research are interesting: Pre-Seed performed the best of all of the sexual lubricant products for sperm motility and sperm vitality (% of live sperm), but the worst for sperm DNA fragmentation.
A clinical trial published in the Fertility and Sterility journal compared the effects of commercial lubricants on sperm cells in a test tube and Pre-Seed performed better than FemGlide, Replens and Astroglide in regard to sperm quality and motility.
Since test tube studies on lubricants have shown differing outcomes to real-world trials, as discussed previously, we don’t find this result to be necessarily conclusive.
Overall, we consider Pre-Seed Lube to be potentially effective for improving fertility, but we don't believe it's definitively proven yet, because test tube studies don't always translate to real-world outcomes.
But how do real users rate and describe their experience using Pre-Seed Lube to conceive? We'll share some unsponsored user reviews in the next section.
Real People Try Pre-Seed Lube
A YouTube creator named "Our LANDing Crew" documented her experience using Pre-Seed to try to conceive:
A YouTube creator named Erika Moulton has a Pre-Seed Lube success story:
Pre-Seed Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Pre-Seed Lube are shown above, and the brand claims that this formulation is developed to have a similar pH to the vagina, which may support sperm survival and sperm quality.
Purified water and hydroxyethylcellulose provide the gelling lubrication function.
Sodium phosphate can be used as a thickener and emulsifier, and sodium hydroxide helps balance pH.
Most of the ingredients in the formulation are non-toxic and seem sensible for a lubricant formulation, however there are two ingredients we find questionable from a health perspective.
Methylparaben and propylparaben are parabens; a class of chemical compounds which are preservatives, and may have negative impacts on fertility.
An animal trial on propylparaben found that it decreased sperm function and efficiency at doses below the upper limit established by the European Union (E.U.) and Japan.
A clinical trial published in the Environmental Health journal found that chronic exposure to propylparaben may impair fertility in women due to its negative effect on ovarian reserve.
Many of the studies on parabens and reproductive health report on systemic levels of parabens, mostly due to exposure by food, cosmetic products and environment, rather than topical exposure like lubrication.
But since it’s proven in medical research that chemicals can be absorbed through the vagina, it may be sensible for patients struggling with fertility to avoid lubricants containing parabens.
Given that Pre-Seed Lube does not appear to have been proven in a human trial to increase fertility rates, and that it contains several ingredients that may actually impair fertility rates, we do not recommend this product and consider it a waste of money.
Do Safer Natural Alternatives Exist?
Consumers are often curious about whether a more natural, paraben-free alternative to commercial lubricants exists.
Unfortunately, we can't find any medical studies on natural vaginal lubricants that potentially increase fertility rates, or that are proven safe.
Coconut oil is often discussed in popular health media articles as a natural lube, but we can't find any evidence that it's superior to other whole food lube alternatives. Coconut also has an alkaline pH which may cause issues in the vagina, which has a naturally acidic pH.
Our top coconut oil brand is Dr. Bronner's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, because it's packaged in glass, organic-certified, and free of unhealthy additive ingredients.
Where to Get the Best Price
Pre-Seed Lube is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here's a price breakdown at the time of updating this article:
CVS: $29.49 (plus shipping, link)
Target: $20.49 (plus shipping, link)
Walmart: $19.96 (plus shipping, link)
Amazon: $19.96 (free shipping depending on plan – link to official Amazon listing)
Buying from Amazon may be upwards of 40% cheaper than from CVS for consumers who can access free shipping on the platform.
Real Customers Review Pre-Seed Lube
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Pre-Seed Lube has been reviewed over 18,000 times on Amazon with an average review rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review comes from a user named "Abriona" who claims to have PCOS and gotten pregnant while using this product:
"Use to create both my babies with first try. I’m 31 and thought I wasn’t able to have kids with me having PCOS but this product made it happen! my son is One and i’m currently 2 months pregnant 🥰"
The top negative review is written by a user named "Chelsea Laurel" who's upset that there is no clear warning about the parabens in Pre-Seed:
"assuming it would not have a bunch of toxic garbage in it that harms fertility, because why would it, right? It's a lube specifically made for conceiving. Well, I was wrong! Once my order arrived and I glanced at the ingredient list, I was horrified. It contains multiple kinds of parabens, which are endocrine disrupters that have been linked to diminished ovarian reserve. In other words, THEY AGE YOUR EGGS."
Pros and Cons of Pre-Seed Lube
Here are the pros and cons of Pre-Seed Lube in our opinion:
Pros:
- May improve sperm quality
- Mostly positive online customer reviews
- Drug-free
- Limited risk of side effects
- Inexpensive
- Clinically tested
Cons:
- We can't find convincing evidence it improves fertility
- Performed worst for sperm DNA fragmentation in a clinical trial on lubes
- Can't purchase directly on brand website
- Contains parabens which may have anti-fertility effects
- Unclear how product is superior to standard sexual lubrication
