FERTILITY MYTHS
There are many myths out there about fertility, leading women to believe that they are infertile while in reality they are not! And, diagnostic tests are often costly, uncomfortable and can be inaccurate. That is why it is of the utmost importance that a woman learns how to chart her own fertility signs, so she can become an active participant in her own fertility journey. This not only decreases feelings of vulnerability and hopelessness, but dramatically increases the chances of pregnancy.
Dispelling the myths so you can understand your own fertility issues is often the first step in the process of taking control of your reproduction. Knowledge is power. And understanding what your body is telling you can prevent unnecessary and outrageously medical procedures, that often prevent couples from seeking medical fertility assistance.
Myth 1: If pregnancy has not occurred within a year, then there are infertility problems.
In reality, there might be no medical issue at all, but rather a lack of understanding exactly when conception is likely to occur during a woman’s cycle leading to poorly timed intercourse.
Myth 2: Menstrual cycles always last 28 days and day 14 is the day that ovulation occurs.
In reality, cycles vary quite a bit among women and sometimes even within the same woman. The average cycle lasts 21 to 35 days and the day a woman ovulates can vary quite a bit from day 14. The day of ovulation also varies from woman to woman and from cycle to cycle.
Myth 3: Irregular cycles are problematic.
Because a 28-day cycle is considered the “norm”, any cycle length that varies from that number is considered “irregular” and thus problematic. However, if a woman is taught how to determine when she ovulates, it does not matter if ovulation occurs mid cycle (day 14) or before or after that day.
Myth 4: Body temperature is the best sign to indicate fertility
Physicians tend to focus on basal body temperatures to determine the time when intercourse will mostly likely lead to pregnancy. Often times cervical fluid is ignored despite it likely being the key sign for timing of intercourse to achieve pregnancy.
But when using temperature as a sign of ovulation, it is important for a woman to know that by the time the body temperature increases, the egg has already been released and is already likely dead. Despite this, the body temperature can be very useful to determine patterns of ovulation and conception and to determine if a woman has a regular pattern of ovulation.
There are many myths out there, leading women to believe that they are infertile while in reality they are not! And, diagnostic tests are often costly, uncomfortable and can be inaccurate. That is why it is of the utmost importance that a woman learns how to chart her own fertility signs, so she can become an active participant in her own fertility journey. This not only decreases feelings of vulnerability and hopelessness, but dramatically increases the chances of pregnancy.
Dispelling the myths so you can understand your own fertility issues is often the first step in the process of taking control of your reproduction. Knowledge is power. And understanding what your body is telling you can prevent unnecessary and outrageously medical procedures, that often prevent couples from seeking medical fertility assistance.
Myth 1: If pregnancy has not occurred within a year, then there are infertility problems.
In reality, there might be no medical issue at all, but rather a lack of understanding exactly when conception is likely to occur during a woman’s cycle leading to poorly timed intercourse.
Myth 2: Menstrual cycles always last 28 days and day 14 is the day that ovulation occurs.
In reality, cycles vary quite a bit among women and sometimes even within the same woman. The average cycle lasts 21 to 35 days and the day a woman ovulates can vary quite a bit from day 14. The day of ovulation also varies from woman to woman and from cycle to cycle.
Myth 3: Irregular cycles are problematic.
As a 28-day cycle is considered the “norm”, and any cycle length that varies from that number is considered “irregular” and thus problematic. However, if a woman is taught how to determine when she ovulates, it does not matter if ovulation occurs mid cycle (day 14) or before or after that day.
Myth 4: Body temperature is the best sign to indicate fertility
Physicians tend to focus on basal body temperatures to determine the time when intercourse will mostly likely lead to pregnancy. Often times cervical fluid is ignored despite it likely being the key sign for timing of intercourse to achieve pregnancy.
But when using temperature as a sign of ovulation, it is important for a woman to know that by the time the body temperature increases, the egg has already been released and is already likely dead. Despite this, the body temperature can be very useful to determine patterns of ovulation and conception and to determine if a woman has a regular pattern of ovulation.
Myth 5: If there is a concern about infertility, then high-tech tests should be employed.
Physicians are trained to identify illness by diagnosing and treating medical problems with high-tech procedures. This is so prevalent that sometimes the most obvious reasons that pregnancy is not occurring are overlooked. For example, when trying to get pregnant, a woman may not conceive because the timing of intercourse with ovulation if off or her partner has a low sperm count. Neither of these represent a fertility problem that will be resolved by doing expensive diagnostic tests on her. So before believing that these tests are needed, a logical approach should be to order a simple inexpensive semen analysis and begin charting the woman’s fertility signs so she can identify the most fertile days and time for her to have intercourse for conception.
Myth 6: Ovulation prediction kits are reliable
In reality, the results of ovulation prediction kits can be misleading and they also do not determine fertility.
Myth 7: Fertility tests are always appropriately timed to measure ovulation and are always accurate
Based on the notion that day 14 is the day ovulation occurs, many fertility tests, including the post coital test (PCT) and endometrial biopsy can be mistimed and can therefore provide unreliable information. The hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is costly and potentially painful and should ideally not be performed before a woman thoroughly understands cervical fluid signs that indicate if and when ovulation is occurring. A test is only useful when it is timed correctly and if its results are reliable.
Myth 8: Ovulatory drugs, such as Clomid, are always a solution for infertility
Clomid acts by triggering egg development in the ovaries. However, it may also dry up the cervical fluid, which is essential for transporting sperm into the cervix for pregnancy to occur. In other words, Clomid can actually help or hinder a pregnancy! Nonetheless, for women who are ovulating, Clomid can help by prolonging the luteal phase (the several weeks after ovulation) and thereby increase the chances of pregnancy. Still, the use of ovulatory drugs should be an informed decision with risks and benefits discussed and not a routine step. And ways to overcome any side effects or risks should always be discussed prior to taking them.
Myth 9: You are infertile if have a miscarriage
Inability to conceive and miscarriage after conception are two completely different problems which require different treatments. Women who do conceive but then miscarry are fertile, but experience other problems, such as short luteal phase.
Myth 5: If there is a concern about infertility, then high-tech tests should be employed.
Physicians are trained to identify illness by diagnosing and treating medical problems with high-tech procedures. This is so prevalent that sometimes the most obvious reasons that pregnancy is not occurring are overlooked. For example, when trying to get pregnant, a woman may not conceive because the timing of intercourse with ovulation if off or her partner has a low sperm count. Neither of these represent a fertility problem that will be resolved by doing expensive diagnostic tests on her. So before believing that these tests are needed, a logical approach should be to order a simple inexpensive semen analysis and begin charting the woman’s fertility signs so she can identify the most fertile days and time for her to have intercourse for conception.
Myth 6: Ovulation prediction kits are reliable
In reality, the results of ovulation prediction kits can be misleading and they also do not determine fertility.
Myth 7: Fertility tests are always appropriately timed to measure ovulation and are always accurate
Based on the notion that day 14 is the day ovulation occurs, many fertility tests, including the postcoital test (PCT) and endometrial biopsy can be mistimed and can therefore provide unreliable information. The hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is costly and potentially painful and should ideally not be performed before a woman thoroughly understands cervical fluid signs that indicate if and when ovulation is occurring. A test is only useful when it is timed correctly and if its results are reliable.
Myth 8: Ovulatory drugs, such as Clomid, are always a solution for infertility
Clomid acts by triggering egg development in the ovaries. However, it may also dry up the cervical fluid, which is essential for transporting sperm into the cervix for pregnancy to occur. In other words, Clomid can actually help or hinder a pregnancy! Nonetheless, for women who are ovulating, Clomid can help by prolonging the luteal phase (the several weeks after ovulation) and thereby increase the chances of pregnancy. Still, the use of ovulatory drugs should be an informed decision with risks and benefits discussed and not a routine step. And ways to overcome any side effects or risks should always be discussed prior to taking them.
Myth 9: You are infertile if have a miscarriage
Inability to conceive and miscarriage after conception are two completely different problems which require different treatments. Women who do conceive but then miscarry are fertile, but experience other problems, such as short luteal phase.
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