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Anatomy
Pair of pea-sized exocrine glands below prostate, behind and to side of membranous part of urethra, in front of anus. Duct, 1″, opens into urethra at base penis. Smaller with age.
Physiology
Secrete salty, thick/viscous alkaline fluid into urethra – during arousal, before ejaculation – which neutralizes acid of residual urine in urethra, and lubricates penis.
Clinical
The (pre-ejaculatory) urethral discharge from the Cowper’s glands can bring with it residual sperm from a previous ejaculation, hence the relative ineffectiveness of coitus interruptus as a method of birth control.
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