Fertility myths

TRUE AND FALSE

When stopping the pill, the communication between the brain and ovaries is supposed to resume: the ovaries get back to work, produce oestrogen, ovulate, and the corpus luteum produces progesterone.
 

However, this communication can take time to re-establish, and some women take several months to get their natural periods back[1][2][3].
 

Moreover, the hormonal ecosystem does not necessarily recover from the effects of the pill without support, and the same applies to other functions affected by the pill (liver, gut microbiome, nutrient stores, etc.). One might therefore assume this has an effect on fertility, but this effect is completely reversible over time and with appropriate supplementation.

FALSE
 

Fertility declines approximately 10 years before the menopause. The average age of menopause in France is currently between 51 and 52, but 10% of women will reach the menopause before the age of 45, 1% before 40 and 0.1% before 30. While the menopause marks the end of periods, we go through a perimenopause phase years before, during which our fertility is considerably lower, with a notable decline in ovarian reserve.

definitely FALSE

One might assume that sperm retention improves sperm quality and thus increases fertility. However, little research has been conducted on the subject.
A 2004 study showed that to produce the best possible sperm samples, one day of ejaculatory abstinence was sufficient, and that each abstinence period should not exceed ten days.
A 2018 study indeed revealed that periods of ejaculatory abstinence of more than four days had a detrimental effect on sperm.[8]
For sperm samples of optimal quality, a 2018 study recommends revising the current ejaculatory abstinence guidelines to two to seven days. It states that shortening the abstinence period may be beneficial for sperm quality.[9] This is the recommended period for a semen analysis, a male fertility test used to assess the quality of the semen and sperm. 

TRUE

Tobacco is harmful to the fertility of both men and women. It contains more than 4,000 toxic chemical compounds, including mutagenic substances (capable of causing DNA mutations) and heavy metals (cadmium, lead).

Scientific studies have demonstrated a link between smoking and reduced fertility, and even a causal relationship between the two (strength of the link, consistency of the link, dose-dependent relationship) [10][11].
 

Available biological, experimental and epidemiological data indicate that up to 13% of infertility cases may be attributed to smoking.[12]

It is therefore better to stop smoking if you want to increase your chances of getting a positive pregnancy test. 

FALSE

Unfortunately this is false, and if the ART journey has helped many couples, it is never a guarantee, even more so when you are over 40.
Fecundability, i.e. the probability of conceiving per cycle, declines with age.

FALSE

Assisted reproduction is sometimes treated as routine, yet it is not without physical and psychological consequences. It can be a real uphill journey. And above all, it is not guaranteed:
- The average success rate in France for artificial insemination (birth rate per artificial insemination) is 10.8%. The success rate ranges between 5 and 20% depending on the fertility clinic.[36]
- The average success rate in France for IVF (cumulative birth rate per embryo transfer) is 28.4%. The success rate ranges between 20 and 40% depending on the fertility clinic.[37]

It is therefore not a guarantee of not getting a negative pregnancy test.

FALSE

The impact of male age on the chances of conception is now widely recognised. Indeed, whilst 78% of men conceive within 6 months when they are under 25, this figure drops to just 58% for those over 35.
 

In Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), a decline in the chances of pregnancy following intrauterine insemination and IVF[38] and an increase in miscarriages linked to male age[39] have been noted after the age of 40.
 

Men are also affected by the main enemies of fertility, such as smoking, alcohol, endocrine disruptors, stress, and even certain sporting activities that influence sperm quality and the chances of conception.[40][41]

Because fertility is 50/50, the male fertility food supplement in powder form Cocooning+ men will help to boost male fertility. Based on 3 active ingredients (Coenzyme Q10, carnitine and N-acetyl-cysteine), it helps to improve sperm quality, motility and concentration.

FALSE

Fertility, whether female or male, can be affected by many factors linked to our modern lifestyle: stress, poor nutrition, deficiencies, fatigue, smoking, endocrine disruptors… [42]
 

Fortunately, this is not inevitable, and there is a great deal that can be done to optimise your chances of conception.
Follicles, like sperm, take around 3 months to renew. Their quality in 3 months' time therefore reflects your current lifestyle. The more you reduce certain harmful habits such as poor diet or smoking, and the more you take care of your stress levels and your nutrition, the better your chances of conceiving. Do seek support to make the process as effective as possible. It is never too late to do things right!
 

The proportion of women reporting an inability to conceive, relative to the number of women who had tried to become pregnant, was 3.6% in 1978; this figure was 6.3% in 1988 and 11.9% in 1994. The proportion of women reporting difficulty conceiving was 14.6% in 1978, 24.8% in 1988 and 23.3% in 1994 [22].

Our Ovo+ supplement may also provide support to help contribute to improving egg quality. 

Having sex once a week gives you every chance of getting pregnant
 

FALSE
You therefore cannot get pregnant throughout the entire cycle. It is men who are fertile all the time.
A woman is fertile for around 6 days per cycle: 5 days before ovulation, thanks to cervical mucus, and 1 day after, as the egg lives for 12 to 24 hours. Outside this fertility window, pregnancy is not possible[7].

So if you only have sex once a week, and you are fertile for just 6 days per cycle, you may fall outside the "fertility window" (a week being 7 days).
To give yourself the best chance, you need to have sex at least every 2 days during the period around ovulation. To find out when you ovulate, read our article on the subject: Why and how to calculate your ovulation date.
 

Certain sexual positions favour conception
 

TRUE/FALSE
In practice, you can get pregnant regardless of the position adopted during intercourse. No scientific study to date has shown that any particular position can favour conception.

However, in one study, researchers observed couples making love in the missionary position or doggy style whilst undergoing an MRI scan[43]. The images obtained confirmed that during intercourse in the missionary position, the penis reaches the anterior fornix with preferential contact with the anterior vaginal wall. The images obtained in the other position showed for the first time that the penis appears to reach the posterior fornix with preferential contact with the posterior vaginal wall. These positions are likely to encourage closer proximity between sperm and the uterus.

Did you know? One study confirmed the hypothesis that a man who spends more time performing cunnilingus produces an ejaculate with a greater estimated volume and potentially higher quality[44].

It is better to lie down after intercourse
 

TRUE
There is no study on the impact of position after intercourse and the chances of getting pregnant. However, studies have been carried out on insemination. Indeed, in a study of nearly 400 couples, in half of them the women got up after insemination, and in the other half they remained lying down for 15 minutes[45]. The ongoing pregnancy rate per couple was significantly higher in the immobilisation group than in the control group: 27% versus 18%. Live birth rates were 27% in the immobilisation group and only 17% in the control group.
 

Although nothing has been directly proven for sexual intercourse, it is reasonable to think that these results apply equally. In any case, you have nothing to lose by spending 15 minutes lying in your partner's arms after the act!