A CONCEPTION MISCONCEPTION
According to the experts, there’re not best positions for conception. In fact, different sex positions aren’t going to make much difference when you’re trying to conceive. Sperm typically reaches its target no matter the position. So just stick with what feels best for you and your partner!
Side Note About the Female Orgasm. Although mutual pleasure is important to a healthy sexual relationship, there is no evidence that the female must have an orgasm to conceive. Gentle contractions in the womb can help to move the sperm along, up into the cervix, but these happen with or without the female orgasm.
REAL ADVICE FOR GETTING PREGNANT
Looking outside the best positions for conception, to optimize a woman’s fertility, nothing is better than a healthy lifestyle. Forming healthy habits before conceiving is a key to improving pregnancy and birth outcomes, while also increasing your chances of getting pregnant. But what else can women do to improve their odds of having a baby?
Timing is Everything: Ovulation Calculation
Ovulation refers to the days in a woman’s menstrual cycle when pregnancy is possible and is sometimes referred to as the “fertile window.” As with all things pregnancy-related, this varies from woman to woman and depends on the length of the menstrual cycle.
If you know your average menstrual cycle length, you can work out when you ovulate. Ovulation happens about 14 days before your period starts.
For example, if your average menstrual cycle is 28 days, you ovulate around day 14, and your most fertile days are cycle days 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Your egg can only be fertilized for up to 24 hours after ovulation. If it isn’t fertilized, the lining of the womb is shed along with the egg and your period begins, marking the start of the next menstrual cycle.
A Sexy Schedule
It’s important to note that research indicates that a lot of women (even ones that use ovulation tracking apps) tend to guess when they’re ovulating incorrectly. For this reason, it is recommended to have sex every other day during the fertile window. And having sex more than that won’t hurt your chances. Because sperm can live for up to 5 days after being ejaculated into a woman’s body, you can actually get pregnant from having sex before you ovulate. That’s why it’s possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex while menstruating. If you ovulate shortly after you finish your period, the sperm may still be alive and can fertilize the egg.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Reaching a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, creating and sticking to an exercise routine that works for you, and kicking bad habits before pregnancy can reduce or may even eliminate the risks of some birth defects that occur early in pregnancy. For more info, check out our blog article on Natural Ways to Increase Fertility.
SYMPTOMS OF INFERTILITY & WHEN TO SEEK HELP
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive within 12 months if you are under 35 and the inability to conceive within 6 months if you are over 35. Extensive research shows that most couples (about 85%) will achieve pregnancy within one year of trying. Only an additional 7% of couples will conceive in the second year. That’s why we generally recommend seeking the help of a reproductive endocrinologist as early as possible.
Additionally, there are various scenarios when we recommend a fertility evaluation regardless of how long you’ve been trying to get pregnant:
- Infrequent or absent menstrual periods
- A history of pelvic infection or sexually transmitted diseases
- Surgeries on the reproductive organs
- Known uterine fibroids or endometrial polyps
- Known male factor semen abnormalities
- Problems with erection or ejaculation
- Male partner undergoing testosterone treatment
- Repeated pregnancy loss or miscarriage
- Family history of genetic disease
- Female partner approaching her mid-thirties and wants to multiple children
HELP IF YOU NEED IT – KINDBODY CARES ABOUT MAKING YOUR DREAMS OF PARENTHOOD COME TRUE
Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that affects the body’s ability to reproduce. If you are unsure or think something might be wrong, come in for simple fertility testing to get a “pulse” or baseline of your fertility health. After all, knowledge is power!
While each patient is different, an initial workup includes blood work, an ultrasound to measure eggs (or ovarian reserve), and a semen analysis. Some additional test can be included, depending on a patient’s specific history.
At Kindbody, our team approach is to educate and bring awareness to your fertility health while helping you navigate the journey and make your dreams of parenthood a reality.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment, discuss your options, and take control of your fertility health.