Fertility Myths and Realities

Myth: Infertility is a female condition only.
Reality: According to recent statistics, female infertility is merely a 40%, male infertility isa round 40% and both is a 20%.

Myth: Infertility is just a matter of stress and any relaxation method will work it out.
Reality: Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system of women or men, and some cases from both. Stress affects ovulation due to the hormonal changes, but relaxation will not solely solve the problem.

Myth: A woman that has been on birth control, once she discontinues it will have better chances to get pregnant.
Reality: Birth control methods avoid conception and modify the cérvix mucus, affecting the sperm to reach the uterine cavity; furthermore there’s no reason to believe that they might act positively on conception.

Myth: Having daily intercourse will increase the probabilities on getting pregnant
Reality: Daily intercourse is not recomendable if you’re trying to achieve a pregnancy. This reduces the sperm concentration the WHO (Wold Health Organization) recommends to have sexual intercourse 2 to 3 times a week if you’re looking to achieve pregnancy.

Myth: Having intercourse with the hips on a higher position increases the chances to get pregnant.
Reality: Is proven that sexual positions have no effect whatsoever on the fertility.

Myth: Taking cough syrup increases the quality of cervical mucus and makes it more receptive for the spermatozoa.
Reality: In the past, this method was reccomended to patients by their doctor, nowadays, is proven that cough syrup doesn’t increase the probability on getting pregnant.

Myth: Infertility cases are not common. Is more common to hear that women get pregnant easily.
Reality: Pregnancy is a complicated process in which the perfect coordination of multiple factors interact. In Mexico, one out of six couples have infertility issues. This number corresponds to the 15% of the population that has reached the reproductive age.

Myth: People that already have children are more fertile.
Reality: Frequently, couples that already have children are considered more fertile, however, if a year already passed by and they haven’t used any birth control methods without achieving a pregnancy suffer of ‘secondary infertility’ and require a specialized diagnose to determine the causes and to have a better approach for their treatment.

Myth: I’m a 40 year old woman, I’m still Young and will not have problems to Become a mother.
Reality: The reproductive age on a 40 year old woman is considered advanced. Women, when are born, have around one million eggs on her ovaries and will not produce new eggs. Her ovarian reserve will diminish over the years as well her chances to have recurrent miscarriages and fetal genetic alterations will increase.

Myth: Adoption is the only solution for infertility.
Reality: The need of having biological offspring can be very strong, in which case is necessary to reach medical treatment before considering adoption. As well, is a viable resource, it could be contraproducent if the couple is not completely sure that it is, indeed, what they’re looking for.

Myth: Infertility treatments are too complicated.
Reality: Depending on each case, a great number of infertility cases are solved with the use of medication to induce ovulation, which is low-complexity procedure. It is reccomedable for the couple to undergo a medical evaluation for the purpose of clearing doubts. The high complexity treatments are a hope for those couples which condition is as well complex.

Myth: In my Family there are women that got pregnant on their 40’s or more, I will not have any problems.
Reality: The Family fertility historial (positive or negative) is frequently stablished on the treatment but it is not a potential for their own fertility.

Myth: I’ll stop smoking until I get pregnant.
Reality: Is well known that 13% of the cases diagnosed with female infertility is due to smoking, even when they smoke ‘a little’.

Myth: My physical shape and my health is generally optimal, my age won’t affect my fertility.
Reality: Women ovarian age and male sperm age is not reversible, age is a particular negative factor for fertility.

Myth: I’m a men and I don’t need vitamins to be fertile.
Reality: Folic acid is a very important supplement for male fertility. It avoids chromosomal abnormalities in the sperm. He needs to take it when its absorption through meals is low. Vitamin E is of great help as well on men who have low sperm production.

Myth: The sexually tansmitted diseases don’t affect fertility.
Reality: Sexually transmitted diseases can affect the capability of having babies, in both men and women due to the side effects that these leave on the body.

Myth: Drinking coffee doesn’t affect fertility.
Reality: Caffeeine can diminish fertility, is recommendable to limit the intake or to drink decaffed beverages. Caffeine is present in chocolate and te, as well in soda drinks.