6 Crazy Fertility Myths Quashed

When it comes to pregnancy or fertility, I'm sure all of us have heard plenty of old wives' tales. We don't know about you, but we, at least, have listened to a couple of doozies in our day. Read on to get to the bottom of some of the craziest fertility myths we have heard till now.

1. Being on Birth Control Makes You Infertile

We are delighted to tell you this is entirely false. It's the 21st century, and people are still on the fence about birth control. I mean, WHAT! Many women believe the effects of birth control pills or IUDs linger long after they have discontinued using them. This myth discourages women from taking birth control pills and confuses families planning for a baby. Most women will go off the medication and engage in sexual intercourse thinking they are still infertile, and the next thing they know, BOOM, they are pregnant.

The half-life of a birth control pill is so short that missing even a single dosage while engaging in sexual activity could make you pregnant.

2. What You Eat Influences Your Fertility

Again, not valid. Eating well is a general guideline to keeping yourself well. But this fact has virtually nothing to do with a woman's fertility levels. We have all heard about the 'fertility diets, 'and we can tell you with 100% confidence that it does nothing for you. We encourage a balanced diet minus the processed food to keep you from developing heart or liver diseases later in life, but that's about it.

Women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS might be the only exception where healthy eating plays a part in bringing fertility levels back to normal.

Apart from that, if you are, in general, a healthy eater who indulges in an occasional drink or two, you should be good.

3. Sex Positions Matter

This is gold. A lot of women sincerely believe missionary style is the only position that can get you pregnant. Many women also do a bunch of other fun stuff like hanging upside down or putting their feet in the air for 20 minutes after having sex to increase the chances of sperm reaching their uterus.

Well, word of advice, stop doing that. Sperm is motile, meaning it does not need gravity to move around once it's inside. It will move through the fallopian tubes to reach the uterus and fertilize the egg on its own. All you need is one strong swimmer.

4. Breastfeeding equals birth control

Okay, this one is partially correct. But hear us out first. Although it's right, breastfeeding keeps women period-free and less fertile for longer, it still cannot be used as the only form of birth control. This is because the effects of breastfeeding are not the same for every single woman.

The Lactation Amenorrhea Method only works if- a) there is a complete lack of period since childbirth, that is, no spotting or light bleeding. B) your baby solely depends on you for all its food needs and is not fed anything other than that, like formula, and c) your baby is less than 6 months old.

Even all of these things combined leave some room for getting pregnant. This is not a super accurate method. Therefore, if you are looking to space out your babies, get back on your birth control.

5. I Can't be Infertile if I Already Have a Child

We have heard this one too many times. We know age is the most significant detriment to fertility. Knowing this, women of advanced age trying to conceive their second or third child should pay attention to signs of secondary infertility, like, painful periods, irregular menstrual cycles, or low sperm count in men. Remember that secondary infertility can affect one or both of the partners.

6. Fertility Ends At 35

While the chances of getting pregnant reduce significantly between the ages 35 to 40, it's still not a complete zero. In reality, women are the most fertile in their early twenties, and that fertility starts declining from the late twenties. However, all of this data is representative of the global scale and not of an individual. Your chances of getting pregnant at any age do not correlate to what is happening globally. If you are worried, we suggest you visit your doctor to get a clearer picture.

Bummed? So were we when we first heard these. I'm sure we must've missed out on a few hilarious ones. If you have anything to add, please let us know. We would be happy to hear!