New Delhi: When couples are trying to get pregnant, they may often get great advice from elders. Folklore beliefs surrounding fertility have been passed on for generations, which can frequently cause confusion and excessive stress. Let’s look at some of the most prevalent myths and reveal the reality. Dr Kunzang Dolma, a Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Whitefield, Bangalore, spoke about how IVF can help couples not dealing with infertility in an interaction with News9Live.
Myth 1: You Must Lie Down After Intercourse to Get Pregnant
Most elderly persons recommend that women lie flat on the bed with their legs raised to assist the sperm in uniting with the oocyte. Although it sounds intuitive, no scientific evidence shows this assertion is correct. Sperm cells move towards the egg very soon after ejaculation. Rather than anticipating post-intercourse adjustment, couples need to plan their intercourse at the time of ovulation to maximise the potential for pregnancy.
Myth 2: Certain Foods Can Increase Fertility Instantly
It is frequently told by elders to eat certain foods, such as dairy, honey, or certain types of fruit to give fertility a quick boost. Although nutrition influences reproductive health, there is no magic food, that assures the conception of a pregnancy. An adequate diet in terms of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals can promote general fertility, but it takes time. For couples wanting to get pregnant it is important to focus on healthy living and keeping weight down and away from processed foods rather than getting into dietary fats.
Myth 3: Stress is the Main Cause of Infertility
Stating that stress (on its own) can preclude pregnancy is a widespread assumption. Although stress can influence hormone levels, menstrual cycles, and so forth, hypomania is rarely the sole reason for infertility. For some couples pregnancy even under high-stress conditions occurs, but in cases of other couples adverse pregnancy happens due to underlying medical diseases, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and scant semen quality. The ability to manage stress is also of great importance to well-being, although medical assessment should not be dismissed if conception does not occur sooner or later than normal.
Myth 4: Women Over 35 Cannot Get Pregnant Naturally
While fertility does decline with age, many women successfully conceive in their late 30s and even early 40s. With the development of reproductive medicine, including egg freezing and assisted reproductive technologies (ART), women have the opportunity to have a child at an older age. Nevertheless, it is recommended to make plans to conceive in advance when ready, because there is an inherent decline of both egg quality and ovarian reserve as age increases.
Myth 5: Men’s Age Doesn’t Affect Fertility
There is one of the most prevailing misconceptions that aging women are the only ones who decline in fertility over age, while men always could father children and subsequently so on. Studies show that older men are more likely to have sperm with DNA fragmentation, which can impact embryo quality and increase the risk of miscarriage. Similar to women, men have to pay attention too to a healthy lifestyle and undergo fertility examination if they want to father at older ages.
Myth 6: IVF is Only for Couples Who Cannot Conceive Naturally
A lot of people think that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is only for infertile couples. IVF is indicated in many conditions including unknown infertility, occlusion of fallopian tubes, patency disturbances of the male and female genitourinary tract, and genetic issues. Some couples choose IVF for fertility preservation or to increase their chances of conception when other methods have failed. It is not the last option, however, it is a useful medical progress for infertile patients.
Final Thoughts
Fertility myths have been circulating for generations, however, the need for separating truth from fiction is also paramount. Couples trying to conceive should rely on accurate information, consult fertility specialists when needed, and make informed decisions rather than following myths blindly.
IVF is a process that is often seen as a go-to to conceive a baby in couples dealing with infertility. But how does that work? Health News Health News: Latest News from Health Care, Mental Health, Weight Loss, Disease, Nutrition, Healthcare
