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Know the Facts: 4 Things to Know About Fertility

Is it ok to have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee when we are trying to have a baby? Should we have relations every day or every other day?

Questions like these will get many different responses when asked to friends and family and create more confusion for a couple trying to start their family. In my 15 years practicing reproductive medicine, these are the most common questions I have had and thought, I may try to provide some data to the questions quietly asked between couples or friends or sought on the internet. 

So what are the facts (From the ASRM)?

What is the chance that I will get pregnant in 6 months?

Monthly fecundity defined as the ability to conceive monthly is approximately 15-20%. Approximately 80% of couples will conceive in the first 6 months. For the remaining 10-15% this will occur in the subsequent six months. If after a year of no success, don’t give up, although the rates are low, there is still a 3% chance of pregnancy monthly.

Am I too old to get pregnant? 

In women, pregnancy rates start to decline subtly at 27 years of age, but decline significantly at 35 years of age. With a decrease in pregnancy rates, you will see an increase in miscarriages with increasing age. In women after the age of 35, we normally recommend they visit a feritlity doctor if they have been trying to conceive for at least 6 months (as compared to the traditional 12 months in women under 35). In men, there appears to be a subtle decrease at 40, which declines more significantly at 50. So you should be reassured that it is not too late, but the earlier the better.

How often should we have intercourse?

This question has a multifaceted answer. The simple answer is everyday around the time of ovulation. If you are using a ovulation prediction kit, this would be relations on the first day of the positive sign, the day after and the day after that. If you are not using ovulation prediction, it would be starting the day of cervical mucus thinning. Ideally, intercourse is most efficient if it occurs a day or two just before ovulation. However, having intercourse everyday can create stress over time. Data shows that pregnancy rates decrease significantly when intercourse is reduced to once weekly, however, there is a small difference between every day and every other day.

After intercourse, should I rest in one position for 15 minutes or do anything specific?

There is no evidence that resting after intercourse will facilitate sperm delivery. Sperm placed into the cervix can be found anywhere from 2-15 minutes later in the fallopian tube. The sexual position also doesn’t matter. Although there is data that sperm is facilitated more efficiently during orgasm, there is no relationship to fertility. 

We hope these answers have helped. In our next blog, we will look at lifestyle changes that can be made to improve your fertility.

Have you been trying to conceive without success?At CRM Orlando, fertility specialists are here to answer your questions. Contact ourOrlando are fertility clinics to schedule a consultation with Dr. Sejal Patel by requesting an appointment today.

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