As aspiring parents who await their little munchkin’s arrival, young couples are known to pull out all stops. For a hassle-free conception, we’ve listed some blunders you might be unknowingly making. So here’s what you could be doing wrong that’s coming in your way of baby-making.
Not having regular sex: Not having regular sex is a big blunder. Regular sex, apart from being necessary for marital harmony, is also very essential while planning a pregnancy as the ovulation in a women’s monthly reproductive cycle happens only once, and the oocyte (female egg) released therein survives only for about 24 hrs. Hence, regular sex is a must for couples trying to conceive.
We understand that between trying to get pregnant, calculating your cycle and keeping a check on every other detail, sex can become like a mundane activity.
People assume that abstaining from sex will make sperms stronger, both in quantity and quality. But this is not true because more usage means more production.
So skip calculating how much sex you’re having and make time for spontaneous, romantic moves. Don’t treat it like a chore but instead enjoy the act and you are more likely to achieve positive results soon.
Couples who have sex regularly are more likely to get pregnant because it may eliminate timing issues and ensures that they are getting intimate at least once or twice during the ovulation period
Assuming fertility because your cycles are regular: This can be deceptive, because, Regular cycles does not ensure fertility. Fertility entails patent fallopian tubes, a good receptive endometrium and a well-grown follicle. Sometimes the cycle may be regular but fertility may be affected
It is only one of the many aspects of fertility. There are many other factors which may need attention or may need to be evaluated or investigated.
Timing: Timing is everything here. A person is most fertile during mid-cycle and the sperm stays alive for 24 hours. Therefore, having intercourse during mid-cycle is essential
There are also many myths and misconceptions that surround this belief, like the time during or soon after menses being the best time to conceive, which is false.
“The best time of the monthly cycle to conceive is the mid-cycle period (approximately the day 11 to day 19). This is true only if the cycles are regular
Not knowing your fertility cycle: It surely is a disadvantage to not know your fertility cycle. This can happen in patients with irregular cycles, wherein ovulation is delayed or just does not happen and hence chances of fertility decreases. “This situation requires medical treatment
Since individual cycles vary, you may have one that’s slightly shorter or longer than 28 days. “Sometimes the cycle can also be of 40 days. Then subtract 14 days from the expected date of the period and you will get the most fertile date
Lubrication: Some couples also believe that using a lubricant will facilitate sperm movement thereby enhancing chances of pregnancy. This is a myth. “Lubrication kills and impedes sperms
Most lubricants decrease chances of pregnancy since they change the acid balance in the vagina which may affect sperm mortality, resulting in reduced chances of conceiving. “Couples who are planning to conceive should avoid lubricants as they act as a deterrent for the sperms and reduce fertility chances,” concedes
If you have to use it, choose a natural product like olive oil. People trying to conceive should only use water and not creams as lubricants.
Positions: Standing on the head, lifting legs in the air, or bending into any other coital or post-coital position to up the baby-making odds, are unnecessary. “As far as conception is concerned, positions do not really matter, although the regular or standard position (man on top) is the best and most suitable position.
So stop worrying about what position you’re using and start enjoying the act.
The truth is, the majority of sperms go towards the eggs right after ejaculation. However, you must make sure to avoid gravity-defying positions that discourage sperms from traveling upstream,”
Women commonly make the mistake of going to the bathroom right after sex , that should be avoided for at least 20 minutes. Hence, it is unnecessary to stress about this as the odds of getting pregnant hinge on many more important factors than just positioning
Overall health of the spouses: Any illness on either side, mental or physical will affect fertility. Avoid unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking or drug use. Patients should also avoid extreme weight gain or loss (either being too thin or overweight), and maintain a balanced and relatively healthy diet
Believing prenatal vitamins will help with conception: Popping a prenatal pill everyday won’t increase your chances of getting pregnant.
However, you need to fortify your body with nourishing food so that it is baby ready. “To avoid future problems with baby’s spine, every mom-to-be should have plenty of folic acid in her system at the time of conception,
