Female anatomy is full of intricacies and when it comes to getting pregnant and ovulation the information available through different sources makes the matter more complex and misleading. Moreover, due to huge absence of proper sex education in India we have popularized many myths that are taken seriously by the women who are either trying to get pregnant or trying to avoid the situation. Basically, half-knowledge about the subject invites more complications than solutions, thus for the ease here are some myths about conceiving a child.
1. You should try getting pregnant after ovulation
This major misconception comes from the logic that eggs need to present there to get fertilized by the sperm, however, biology doesn’t work this way. Ideally, sperm can survive 5-6 days in the female reproductive tract while an egg becomes nonviable within 12-24 hours after release. This way your chances of getting pregnant are higher when you are near ovulating or before ovulating than after ovulating.
2. Age doesn’t matter for men
Unlike women, men don’t have an official ending of fertility period with a menopause but fertility and the quality of the sperm do decrease in men as they grow older. According to a report if a man is in his 40s then chances of miscarriage and stillbirth, the risk of certain conditions and diseases like, autism, schizophrenia, childhood leukemia, and bipolar disorder are also high.
3. Ovulation takes place on the 14th day of the cycle
This is one of the most popular myths regarding ovulation that it can occur anywhere between 6-7 days of the cycle to 19-20 days.
4. Something is wrong if you don’t get pregnant after a couple of months of trying
There are few lucky couples who get pregnant after a month of trying and then there are few who conceive a year later and both the time frames are perfectly normal. However, if you want to consult doctors the shortest you should wait is six months.
5. 40 is the new 30, and you can get pregnant after 40
Talking about age factor in women the hard truth is no matter how young or healthy you look but your chances of getting pregnant decreases to 15% after 40, however on the contrast if in case you want to enjoy motherhood after 40 you still can if you haven’t hit menopause.
Some other common myths are
- You can’t get pregnant during periods, as it says an ovulation can take place anywhere between 6th to 20th day and sperm can survive up to 6 days inside your track so it’s quite possible
- No proven research has said that coffee can impact fertility.
- Pregnancy depends upon ovulation. Though ovulation is a vital part of getting pregnant but there are other factors like quality of sperm which equally matter.
- Missionary position is best for conceiving. Basically, any position that makes ejaculation happen near the cervix or even vaginal opening is good for it.