7 Fertility Myths Revealed

There are many things couples trying to have a baby can do to boost their chances of pregnancy. But there is also a lot of misinformation out there about fertility, so experts say people should be careful about which advice they heed. Here are seven common misconceptions about getting pregnant: It takes a long time to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills. Many women think that, after they stop taking birth control pills, it will take them six to 12 months to get back to regular menstrual cycles, and that during this time, their chances of pregnancy are reduced. But studies show this is not the case, said Dr. Jani Jensen, an obstetrician/gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. In a study of 200 women who took birth control pills for at least a year, 40 percent had a period or became pregnant just one month after they stopped taking the pill. And by three months post-pill, nearly 99 percent had a period or became pregnant, Jensen said. Jensen recommended that women who haven't had a spontaneous period within three months of stopping birth control pills be evaluated to see if there's a problem affecting their ability to produce eggs. Couples who want to have a baby should always try for a year before seeking fertility help. Doctors in the United States generally define infertility as not conceiving after one year of unprotected sex, but some couples should not wait an entire year to get evaluated if they don't become pregnant. Studies show that many couples become pregnant within a few months of trying: Among couples without fertility problems, 60 percent will be pregnant within three months, and 75 percent within six months. Doctors recommend that women age 35 and older try for no longer than six months before seeking a fertility evaluation, Jensen said. Women younger than 35 should still try for a year, unless they have a condition that could make it difficult to become pregnant, such as a menstrual cycle longer than 35 days, Jensen said. In the latter case, they shouldn't wait a full year to seek an evaluation. Women who monitor their body temperature to boost their conception chances should wait until their temperature goes up before having intercourse. Monitoring body temperature is one way women can track their fertility over the course of the month and boost the chances of conception. But women shouldn't wait until after their temperatures rise to have intercourse because this temperature rise (about 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0.6 degrees Celsius) happens after an egg is released, Jensen said. "If you wait to have intercourse to that point, your chance of success is now reduced by more than half," Jensen said. Women have the best chance of becoming pregnant if they have intercourse on the day before ovulation, because sperm can live in the female reproductive track for several days, Jensen said. "What the data seem to suggest is that if there's sperm really ready and waiting at the time the egg is released that that has the best chance of success," Jensen said. If a man has had a child in the past, he can't be the reason that a couple is infertile. Some couples think that if they are having trouble getting pregnant, it can't be a problem with the man if he's fathered a child before. But there are many reasons why this is not necessarily true, Jensen said. "The fact that you had fathered a pregnancy in the past doesn't mean that you have a guarantee for the future," Jensen said. Many things could have changed in the years since the man first fathered a child. For example, the man could have gained weight or developed thyroid disease, both of which can affect fertility, Jensen said. There's also a remote possibility that the man wasn't really the father of the child, Jensen said. Couples should have intercourse every day to increase the chances of pregnancy. In the days leading up to ovulation, women have a window of time when they can become pregnant. But couples don't need to have intercourse every day during this period — every other day is just as good, Jensen said. For most women, the "fertility window" is days 10 to 20 of their cycle (counting day one as the first day of menstrual bleeding), Jensen said. So having intercourse every other day in this window is a general recommendation to increase pregnancy chances, Jensen said. Certain coital positions can increase the chance of pregnancy. The idea that coital position affects pregnancy chances, or the gender of a baby, is a myth, Jensen said. "Doing things like lying down with your feet in the air doesn't increase the chance of pregnancy at all," Jensen said. Expensive vitamins help with fertility. Some expensive vitamin products are marketed as a way to improve fertility, but the evidence to support this claim is weak, Jensen said. "I strongly urge patients not to take expensive vitamins," Jensen said. Article: 13th May 2014 www.huffingtonpost.com Read more about boosting fertility at www.prideangel.com

11 Myths doctors hear about fertility and getting pregnant

Many couples spend years trying not to get pregnant, so it's only understandable that they may have a few issues when it comes to trying to have a child. Just like when you become a parent, there is no written manual on how to get pregnant. For one in six couples, infertility issues are an obstacle to parenthood. Infertility does not discriminate. We see patients of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. They are smart, hard-working and determined to have a family. However, many do not understand their personal fertility and the factors that affect fertility potential. During National Infertility Awareness Week, we turn our efforts to helping those who hope for a family. The more that men and women know about the realities of fertility, the more effectively they can have a baby, often without our help. These are the most common misconceptions we hear during patient appointments. 1. 'He doesn't have any fertility problems; he's already a dad.' Contrary to popular belief, male fertility is finite. Similar to female fertility, male fertility decreases with age, particularly after age 40. Researchers have found a direct link between paternal age and an increased risk of autism and schizophrenia. Men pass along as many as four times more genetic mutations compared with mothers. As a man ages, the concentration of mobile, healthy semen and semen volume overall will decrease. 2. 'All the women in my family had more babies in their 40s, so I am fine.' Although family fertility history is taken into account during treatment, it can neither help nor hinder fertility potential. Previous successful pregnancies also do not signify a bump-free conception route. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11% of couples experience secondary infertility, which is defined as a couple with a child being unable to conceive again after a year. Once a woman hits 40, there is a less than 5% chance (PDF) she will get pregnant in any given month (compared with 20% at age 30). 3. 'I smoke, but I don't have to give it up until I'm pregnant.' The American Society for Reproductive Medicine estimates that up to 13% of female infertility diagnoses are due to smoking. Believe it or not, smoking as few as five cigarettes a day each has been associated with lower fertility rates in both men and women. 4. 'We have sex within 24 hours after ovulation.' After ovulation has ended, becoming pregnant is impossible. Ovulation -- when an egg drops from the ovary into the fallopian tubes -- occurs once a month, roughly seven to 10 days before a woman's period. For pregnancy to occur, sperm must meet an egg during this one- to two-day time period. To boost your odds, have sex before and during ovulation, as sperm can survive in the reproductive tract for three days. If a woman's monthly cycles are irregular, visit a specialist to discuss ovulation. Ovulatory disorders are the most common infertility diagnosis for women. 5. 'I don't have to worry about my eggs until I'm 40.' At birth, a woman has 7 million eggs, which slims down to 400,000 at the onset of puberty. During a woman's lifetime, approximately 400 to 500 eggs will be released. As a woman ages, the ovarian reserve declines. A woman's egg supply takes a rapid decline in the late 20s, again in the 30s and then most notably after age 35. 6. 'I do yoga and exercise. I'm in great shape. Age won't affect my fertility.' A healthy body and mind can boost fertility, but it cannot reverse the age of ovaries and semen. For both men and women, age is a critical component of fertility potential. 7. 'I know we could stand to lose weight, but ...' When men or women carry extra weight, hormonal shifts occur in the body that can affect ovulation and semen production. The great news is that couples can team up to lose weight, become active together and boost their fertility. Although it is estimated that 70% of women with infertility are also obese, losing as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can boost fertility in men and women. 8. 'Only women need to take supplements before a pregnancy.' It has long been known that women should take folic acid to prevent certain birth defects, but folic acid is now known to be an important supplement in male fertility. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that men had a higher rate of chromosomal abnormalities in their sperm when their diet was low in folic acid. Coenzyme Q10 has also been found to increase sperm count and sperm motility, and vitamin E also improves low sperm count. 9. 'STDs affect my health, but they don't affect trying to have a baby.' For both men and women, sexually transmitted diseases can affect the ability to have children. STDs can cause scarring and blockage of the male reproductive structures. If STDs go untreated in women, they can lead to an episode of pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a leading cause of infertility. 10. 'It doesn't matter how much coffee I drink.' Believe it or not, that venti at Starbucks might be working against you. One study found that "women who consumed more than the equivalent of one cup of coffee per day were half as likely to become pregnant, per cycle, as women who drank less." Caffeine can decrease fertility, so be sure to limit intake. It's better to opt for decaffeinated or half-caffeinated coffee, and remember there is caffeine in tea, colas and chocolate. 11. 'We have sex every single day so we can get pregnant faster.' Having sex every day only slightly increases pregnancy when compared with having sex every other day, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. If a man has a normal sperm count, sperm concentration does not decrease during daily sex. Article: 22nd April 2014 www.cnn.com