Are you really running out of eggs?
12 Jun 2017
Tackling “old wives’ tales" about getting pregnant with factual information.
So many couples coming to me for fertility issues ask me to validate statements such as:
- “You must have sex every day” or
- “No, you should have sex at least twice a day to double your chances of conceiving” or
- You should continue to have sex for at least a week after you’ve ovulated.
- “You will only get pregnant if you orgasm” or
- “After sex, you have to raise your legs and stay like that for at least 10 minutes so that the sperm won’t run out” or
- “Missionary position (man on top) is best for deeper penetration” or
- ”Doggy style (rear entry) is better for even deeper penetration”
It’s time now to debunk a few of these “old wives’ tales”!
Now for the facts:
There is a 6-day ‘fertile window’.
The ‘fertile window’ is that period of time just before you ovulate during which you should have intercourse in order to have the best chance of conceiving.
This ‘window’ is considered to occur from 5 days before and on the day of ovulation.
Ovulation is defined as: ‘The key event in the female menstrual cycle whereby a mature egg is released from one of the ovaries – typically around day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle, travelling from the ovary into the fallopian tube to await possible fertilisation by sperm. This process is triggered by hormonal shifts, particularly a surge in luteinising hormone (LH) and marks the most fertile time for conception.’
In other words, the 6-day fertile window occurs from the first day luteinising hormone is produced, and for anothr 5 days until it reaches its peak production – triggering the actual release of the mature egg / ovulation.
Unless you are aware of this exact ovulation day e.g. by observing your cervical mucus change or monitoring your temperature or using an ovulation predictor kit, this time period can often go unnoticed.
That’s why it’s advisable to start having intercourse from 5 days prior and to continue every day or every alternate day for the next few days.
Whether you have intercourse daily or every other day tends to yield the same results.
However, abstinence intervals of 2 days (taking a 2-day sex-free break) has been shown to improve sperm densities.
In other words, even though it makes no difference whether you have sex every day or every other day, it’s better for the quality of the sperm if you take a day’s break in-between.
As much as you might enjoy having sex with your partner, if you have been experiencing difficulty getting pregnant, you might find this information a huge relief.
Many of my patients who have been trying to get pregnant for a long time will tell me that it can be very stressful – which is not helpful for your relationship let alone getting pregnant!
Intercourse only once a week will reduce your chances of getting pregnant by 33%.
And no sex for more than 5 days may negatively affect sperm counts. So, having intercourse 3 times a week and especially during that ‘fertile window’ is about right.
There is no evidence that coital (during intercourse) positions or post-coital (after intercourse) positions will increase your chance of pregnancy.
Sperm can be found in the cervical canal seconds after ejaculation regardless of sex position.
Although female orgasm may promote sperm transport, there is no known relationship between female orgasm and fertility.
Sperm will move to the fallopian tube which has the dominant follicle during ovulation i.e. the follicle that has just released the egg.
Once the egg has been released from its follicle, it will live for 24 hours, so it must be fertilised within that time period.
That’s why the ‘fertile window’ includes the day of ovulation as the last day (6th day of your fertile window) for conception. So this 6th day (ovulation day) is the last opportunity you have to conceive. Intercourse after this day won’t result in conception.
Hopefully this has helped you debunk some of those myths that might have been hounding you and which should now be put to rest.
And hopefully, in doing so, you feel empowered with your knowledge; more relaxed about conception and find yourself once again enjoying the good things in life!
Joanne Lipinski is a Melbourne based Fertility Naturopath