Life
By now, you’re (hopefully) aware of the many misconceptions about birth control and know how to prevent surprise pregnancies. But what it comes time to toss the BC in the trash and try for a child, are you and your partner as well-versed in the myths surrounding trying to conceive? My guess is, not so much. Unfortunately, there are just as many misconceptions when it comes to the act of trying to conceive, ranging from the understandable (are you more likely to get pregnant if you orgasm?) to the absurd (will eating yams improve fertility?) .
Right off the bat, some myths are easy to dispel. For starters, rubbing a pregnant woman’s belly for luck won’t help you to conceive (and may irritate owner of said belly.) Also, eating red meat won’t help you have a boy and going to the movies within three days of getting married probably won’t affect your fertility either. (Seriously, where do some of these ideas even come from?!) But there are some TTC statement that aren’t so obviously fake, mainly because they are rooted in some fact. To help you sort out the fiction from the facts, here’s a quick rundown of some common conception myths about TTC sex , and what really matters during this time.
Myth 1: Positions Make A Difference
Despite the rumor that certain positions improve the odds of pregnancy (or getting pregnant with a certain gender), Dr. Jani Jensen, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic, told Live Science that this is complete BS. “Doing things like lying down with your feet in the air doesn't increase the chance of pregnancy at all," Jensen said. If you want to experiment with the position for personal preference, that’s fine. But you’re just as likely to get pregnant during missionary and your are during reverse cowgirl.
Myth 2: You Have To Help Sperm Travel
What to Expect writes that people believe lying with your hips elevated after sex helps the sperm get the egg quicker. As of now, there is no scientific evidence that supports this myth. But there also isn’t any evidence to disprove it, so striking this pose post-sex may not be a terrible idea,
Myth 3: You Have To Do It Daily
According to the Mayo Clinic, you should have sex regularly in order to conceive, but this does not necessarily mean daily. A consistent two to three times per week should land you in a fertile cycle.
Myth 4: You Have To Wait To TTC After Going Off BC
In general, women’s bodies return to normal hormone production as soon as they stop taking birth control, according to Everyday Health. That being said, this does not apply to everyone. If your menstrual cycle doesn’t return to normal after a few months, Everyday Health suggests making an appointment with your doctor.
Myth 5: Your Timing Affects The Baby’s Sex
Some believe that, timing intercourse closer to ovulation may result in having a boy. However, a study in The New England Journal of Medicine found no evidence that the timing of intercourse has any significant impact on your baby’s sex.
Myth 6: Your Body Type Affects Conception
Babble notes that your body type does not affect your ability to conceive does not affect your ability to conceive. Moms-to-be come in all shapes and sizes, and the ideas that women with wider hips are more fertile is just a myth.
Myth 7: You Have To Orgasm To Get Pregnant
Believe it or not, there is some truth to this myth. A 2011 article from the American Psychology Association noted that female orgasms may aid in conception because it may help move sperm into the uterus toward the ovarian follicle, thereby increasing the chances of conception. But that doesn’t mean if you won’t conceive if you have trouble reaching orgasm.
