Column

Myth 1 : Women can get pregnant on any day of their menstrual cycle . The likelihood of conception is highest during a woman ’ s fertile window which is limited to a few days each cycle . The fertile window occurs when an egg is released from the ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes , where it needs to be fertilized by sperm for a pregnancy to occur . This is typically five days before ovulation , including the day of ovulation . The fertile window can be calculated if a woman has relatively regular menstrual cycles .

Myth 2 : A woman ’ s age does not affect fertility . The truth is that a woman ’ s fertility declines with age , and the decline becomes more pronounced after the age of 35 years . The decline in fertility is due to the reduction in the number of healthy eggs that a woman has , and this ovarian aging can make it more difficult for her to conceive as she ages .

Myth 3 : Couples have a very high chance of conception each and every cycle they try . Even in the very best of circumstances eg . in a healthy and young couple in their mid-20s , there is only a 25 % chance of pregnancy for each month of trying . This percentage drops as the woman ’ s age increases . Human beings are known to have one of the lowest fecundability among all mammals .

Myth 4 : Infertility is always caused by the woman . This is a common myth that often leads to unnecessary blame and stress for women who are struggling to conceive . Infertility is a complex issue that can be caused by a variety of factors , including problems with the sperm , the eggs , the uterus , or the fallopian tubes . In addition , infertility can also be caused by hormonal imbalances , lifestyle factors and underlying medical conditions . One-third of infertility cases are due to problems with the man ’ s reproductive system . Therefore , it ’ s important for both partners to be evaluated in order to identify the underlying causes of infertility and to develop an effective treatment plan .

Myth 5 : Women remain highly fertile as long as they haven ’ t reached their menopause . A woman ’ s fertility declines rapidly after the age of 35 years . Agerelated declines in fertility makes it more difficult for women to conceive . This decline in fertility is due to a natural decline in the quality and quantity of a woman ’ s eggs as she ages . On the other hand , complications during pregnancy increases with age .

Myth 6 : If you ’ re having trouble conceiving but your menstrual cycles come like clockwork , you just have to relax and keep trying . You don ’ t have to see a Fertility Specialist .

The rule of thumb is , for women less than 35 years old , the couple should see a Fertility Specialist if it ’ s been a year of fruitlessly trying . For women more than 35 years old , they should make their way to a Fertility Clinic if they ’ ve been trying unsuccessfully for 6 months . For those women 40 years and older , or in cases where the couple has a known factor that might impact fertility eg . irregular menstrual cycles , they should see a Fertility Specialist sooner rather than later .

Myth 7 : Stress does not affect fertility . Stress can alter the levels of hormones in the body that are necessary for conception and cause changes in the menstrual cycle , making it more difficult to determine the fertile window . Stress also has a negative impact on overall health and usually causes disinterest in sexual relations . While stress may interfere with ovulation and sperm production , there is no scientific evidence to suggest that stress on its own can cause infertility . One major hindrance to acquiring good quality data is that stress is very subjective and immeasurable .

Myth 8 : Specific sexual positions help improve pregnancy rates . Sexual positions during ejaculation do not have an impact on achieving pregnancy . Sperm that is ejaculated into the female reproductive tract can be found in the cervix and beyond within a few minutes of ejaculation , irrespective of the sexual position of the couple .

Myth 9 : The position and timing of sexual intercourse can help determine a baby ’ s gender . There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that the position or timing of intercourse can affect the gender of an offspring .

Myth 10 : Women must have an orgasm for pregnancy to occur . This is incorrect . As long as sperm is deposited within the female reproductive tract , pregnancy can occur , despite the woman not having orgasms .

Myth 11 : Women should elevate the bottom half of their body after sexual intercourse to help sperm swim upwards . During ejaculation , when sperm is deposited within a woman ’ s reproductive tract , close to her cervix , most of these sperms will be able to swim through the cervix and into the fallopian tubes , to look for an egg to fertilise , without the aid of acrobatics on the female partner ’ s part .

Myth 12 : Douching improves women ’ s reproductive health .

82 ISSUE 1 | 2023 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com