If you are trying to get pregnant, chances are you’ve been on the receiving end of advice on how to improve the odds. However, there are a number of myths about fertility and the factors that are said to affect it one way or the other. But on closer scrutiny, many of these assertions are just plain wrong or at least cannot be backed up by any evidence. Let’s examine a few of these here.
Lying flat after sex
The good news is that gravity doesn’t pose any problems for sperm. Once the deed is done, pretty much any sperm with a chance of fertilising will have gone past the point of no return with no chance of dropping out. There is, therefore, nothing to suggest that the chances of becoming pregnant are in any way adversely affected by standing up after sex. Similarly, lying flat on your back or putting your legs in the air won’t provide any assistance either.
Having lots of sex or abstaining around your fertility window
Should you be having sex all the time during your fertility window? Should you be abstaining in the fortnight leading up? The answer to both of these questions is no. Having sex every day (or more than once a day) during fertile times is actually no better for getting pregnant than going every second day. In fact, ejaculation every two to three days generally produces the highest quality sperm. For that same reason, a week or two of abstinence leading up to the window will actually do more harm than good. Check out Embrace Fertility Doctor Nicole Edge’s mathematics of conception for more information.
The female orgasm
It turns out that the female orgasm is purely for pleasure. If it had any impact on conception, this would need to coincide with the male orgasm in a moment of synergy that is really quite rare. The incidence rate for female orgasms is thought to be somewhere between a quarter and a third of the time, and when it does occur, it is usually before or after the male climax without any impact on fertility.
Age and male fertility
While it’s true that women’s fertility decreases approaching menopause, it is often thought that male fertility lasts forever. But this is not the case, as ageing correlates with a reduction in sperm quality and often leads to an increase in erectile dysfunction. In fact, men experience a significant decrease in fertility from their early fifties, which actually coincides with the average point in time that women go through menopause.
If you have questions about starting a family and are looking for an Adelaide fertility specialist for advice, contact Embrace today to arrange an appointment with one of our specialist doctors.