Getting pregnant isn’t always as simple as 1, 2, 3. In fact, for many couples, getting pregnant takes a lot of time and effort. While infertility is a real, looming threat to hopeful couples out there, oftentimes, the problem comes from a simple and easily avoidable mistake.
If you’re interested in or trying to conceive, you owe it to yourself to check out these commonly committed baby-making mistakes! Let’s take a look, and make sure your road to getting pregnant is easier than ever:
1. Not “trying” enough
We’re not here to discuss the birds and the bees, but we are here to say that if you want to up your chances of conceiving, a great place to start is by increasing the number of times you and your partner have sex.
Lots of couples tend to think that guys need to “reserve” their sperm, or that it’s only prudent to try when a woman i ovulating. However, not “staying busy” can disrupt your odds of conceiving.
“It’s easy to miss the fertile period if sex is limited only to when you think you’re ovulating because many women believe they’re ovulating when they actually aren’t,” claims Samuel Wood, M.D., medical director at The Reproductive Sciences Center in La Jolla, CA. “Have sex as often as you like, paying special attention to the few days before ovulation.”
2. Same positions, same routines
Despite the common belief that missionary position is best, or that elevating your hips greatly increases odds of conceiving, the truth of it is that there’s not enough evidence to support such claims. In fact, most doctors tend to believe that the position doesn’t really matter at all.
“When a man ejaculates, sperm swims out, goes directly into the cervical mucus and into the fallopian tubes,” says Serena Chen, M.D., director of the division of reproductive endocrine and infertility at the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Pennsylvania. “This happens in a matter of seconds, regardless of the position during intercourse,” Dr. Chen says.
That said, mix it up. Don’t feel obligated to stay in the same old positions. Do whatever comes natural, and don’t limit yourself to the same routines.
3. Letting women take the blame
One popular misconception is that when something goes wrong when trying to get pregnant it’s the woman’s fault. Men might think that the woman is barren or infertile. Well…that’s far from the truth.
“Men are less likely to believe or to want to believe something is wrong with them,” says Machelle Seibel, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. “Because fluids will come out, whether there’s sperm there or not, they assume it means they’re fertile,” he adds.
Statistically speaking, according to Dr. Chen, “About half of the infertility issues have to do with the woman, 40 percent with the man, and the other 10 percent is both or neither.”
You’re in it together, husbands and wives! So don’t point any fingers.
4. Mistiming ovulation
Dr. Seibel claims that “Many women follow the textbook rule, believing they ovulate 14 days after the first day of their period, but cycle lengths vary, and ovulation doesn’t always occur at the same time each month.”
If you’re in tune with your body, you may notice that you have an increased clear egg-white-like vaginal discharge a few days before ovulation,” says Yvonne Bohn, M.D., an ob-gyn and co-author of The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth.
Sadly, a lot of women don’t notice this! In fact, a lot of women mistake it for ovulation. A better strategy than guessing (and coming up short) is to invest in an ovulation predictor kit.
5. Having sex on the day of ovulation
Experts say that sperm can live for three to five days, having sex in the few days leading up to ovulation will increase your chances of getting pregnant. That means that for all of the hype and misconceptions that lead you to believe that having sex the exact day you’re ovulating, the truth couldn’t be further. You’re far more likely to get pregnant if you get physical the days leading up to ovulation.
6. Lubricants
Lubricants sell on shelves because of their propensity to spice things up in the bedroom. However, if you’re tying to conceive, lubrication should be avoided! Most commercially sold lubricants greatly affect motility and potency. If you’re really in dire need of lube, try put these alternatives: Pre-Seed (a sperm-friendly lube)olive oil, vegetable oil, or baby oil.
7. Seeking help too late in the game
While you shouldn’t overreact and seek help for every little problem you encounter, that doesn’t mean you should avoid help all together. Actually, for serious concerns, or questions, you need to act sooner rather than later.
“If you’re 35 or older, you should see a fertility specialist after six months of trying without success,” Dr. Chen says. “If you’re younger and have irregular periods or a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or other health issues that may affect fertility or pregnancy, it’s a good idea to seek out a specialist right away.”
8. Being negligent of your health
Image source: iStock
When you get in the zone of trying to conceive, your brain tends to be locked onto one thing and one thing only. However, if you’re looking to conceive, you can’t afford to be negligent of your overall health, and not just focused on the facets that relate to procreating.
“It’s important to pay attention to your health in general because issues like weight, smoking, stress, and medications can affect fertility too,” Dr. Chen says.
Don’t overlook the basics of healthy living, folks!