There are a lot of myths surrounding issues of fertility and infertility. If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, it may be helpful to know the basic fertility and infertility FAQs.
When is a woman’s most fertile time?
- A woman’s most fertile time is during ovulation. Ovulation typically occurs within day 11 through day 21 of a woman’s cycle.
- Counting from the first day of a woman’s last period, day 1 is the first day a woman starts bleeding, and the 11th day is most likely the earliest day a woman will ovulate. The 21st day is most likely the last. A woman’s period comes between the 28th and 32nd day of the cycle. This pattern may differ slightly with each woman depending on a variety of factors.
Is infertility a female problem?
Infertility is a couple’s problem. Half of the medical issues lie with the male partner.
- Infertility is a medical condition that is found in both men and women, and men and women are affected almost equally.
- With men, declining sperm counts, testicular abnormalities, and decreased reach of climax are common causes of infertility.
- Men can also do an at-home semen analysis to evaluate their fertility. SpermCheck is a corporate sponsor and you can learn more about at-home testing here.
- With women, the most common causes are tubal blockage, endometriosis, PCOS, and advanced maternal age which affects egg quality/quantity.
How common is infertility?
- Infertility is a growing issue for many females. Infertility affects 6.1 million American females (approximately 10% of American females of childbearing age).
- 25% of infertile females have more than one cause of infertility.
- The current increase in infertility might be the result of more women choosing to delay starting a family until later in life when their reproductive health can be affected.
- The increase of some STDs such as Chlamydia can result in conditions such as blocked tubes, preventing pregnancy from occurring.
How long should a couple try to conceive before going to the doctor?
- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends that a woman consults her health care provider if she is: 1) under 35 years old and has been trying to conceive for more than 12 months, or 2) over 35 years old and has been trying to conceive for over 6 months.
Can you find out earlier if you have fertility issues?
- You always have the option of asking your health care provider to conduct a complete examination to determine if either partner has possible fertility issues. You can also choose to do at-home fertility testing, available for both men and women.
Does the position chosen for intercourse affect fertility?
- After ejaculation, enough sperm will remain inside the woman to fertilize an egg. Therefore, there is no significant advantage of one intercourse position over another.
Fertility and infertility FAQs about treatments
- Fertility treatments can increase the likelihood of getting pregnant.
- Treatments can include lifestyle changes, vitamins, and supplements, surgery, medication, or assisted reproduction.
- There are several treatments under assisted reproduction such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT). All these procedures involve harvesting a number of eggs in the hope of fertilizing at least one egg and then insert the fertilized egg(s) into the uterus.
Our Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide provides the information you need on fertility, tips on how to get pregnant faster, and how to boost fertility through sometimes simple tweaks to your lifestyle and approach. The guide is easy to read and meant for anybody wanting to increase their ability to conceive. It’s a free download and includes coupon codes for essential products. Even free Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream.
Want to Know More?
Compiled using information from the following sources:
1. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
https://cdc.gov/reproductivehealth
1. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
