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Myths and Truths Surrounding Fertility

October 30, 2024

Separating the facts from fiction surrounding fertility can feel impossible. The advice may be well intentioned, but if you’re ready to start your pregnancy journey, it’s best to concentrate your efforts on suggestions backed by science. Here’s what you need to know.

Truth: You Should Track Your Entire Menstrual Cycle

Most women know the date of their most recent period, but they may not know the date of their last ovulation. Fertility-monitoring apps are a great way to log that data. Tracking your menstrual cycles over several months allows you to know when you’re ovulating —which is crucial considering that the window is just 24 hours. This information is also helpful to share with your doctor in case fertility problems arise in the future.

Myth: Having an Orgasm During Sex Helps

There is no correlation between orgasm and a greater likelihood of insemination. An orgasm is simply a contraction of the pelvic muscles. It doesn’t affect the hormonal environment or the amount or passage of sperm traveling to the uterus. So many variables play a role in pregnancy, but orgasm is not one of them.

Truth: Regular Exercise Helps Prepare Your Body

Regular, moderate exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight and hormonal balance. Regular exercise also regulates your menstrual cycle, making it easier to track ovulation. It’s a solution that benefits many women, even those diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, which can cause irregular or missed periods, along with cysts on the ovaries.

Myth: Certain Sexual Positions Are Better

There has not been a scientific study proving that any one sexual position increases insemination odds. However, gravity plays a role. If there is more leakage of seminal fluid after intercourse, that will decrease your likelihood. Ideally, during and after sex, you’re lying down or otherwise in a position where gravity isn’t working against you.

Truth: You Should Take Multivitamins

It is well-known that folic acid deficiency can lead to congenital abnormalities. Ideally, a woman who wants to get pregnant starts taking folic acid or a multivitamin three to six months before trying to conceive. This doesn’t optimize fertility but does optimize outcomes.

Myth: Eating Certain Foods Helps You Conceive

Articles online and in magazines often report that what you eat plays a role in getting pregnant. You may have heard that antioxidants and a high iron level increase fertility. However, this is a theory and it has not been proven.

Truth: Managing Stress Is a Good Idea

Doctors recommend stress management to patients with fertility issues, specifically if you suffer anxiety. Anxiety affects your hormonal balance, paramount to fertility. There are many ways to manage stress, including:

Myth: Moon Cycles Play a Role in Your Fertility

The lunar cycle’s 29.5 days is extremely close to the menstrual cycle’s 28 days. However, one has no impact on the other. A full moon may feel like an exciting, charged time, but it brings no greater window of fertility.

Truth: Toxin Exposure Reduces Fertility

The more that you’re exposed to heavy metals, pesticides and other toxins, the greater the risk to your fertility. If your job places you in a factory or another environment with excessive chemical or toxin exposure, you will want to talk to your physician about plans to be protected.

Myth: Infertility is More Likely a Problem with the Woman’s Body

If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, it is just as likely due to challenges with your partner’s fertility. Today, it’s common for men to consult their physician or urologist for testing and advice.

Truth: Getting Better Sleep Helps

Sleep, along with your circadian rhythm, is one of the biggest determiners of hormones. If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep disturbances, now is the time to meet with a sleep specialist.

In general, if you’re having regular, unprotected intercourse for a year and following your doctor’s suggestions, you will likely get pregnant. If you haven’t, it’s time to talk to your gynecologist about what issues may be affecting you or your partner.

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