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Myth: A retroverted ("tipped") uterus causes infertility because the semen cannot swim into the cervix.
Fact: About one in five women will have a retroverted uterus. If the uterus is freely mobile, this is normal, and is not a cause of infertility. This is not an indication for surgery!
Myth: We should be having intercourse every day to achieve pregnancy.
Fact: Sperm remain alive and active in woman's cervical mucus for 48-72 hours following sexual intercourse; therefore, it isn't necessary to plan your lovemaking on a rigid schedule. Although having sexual intercourse near the time of ovulation is important, no single day is critical. So, don't be concerned if intercourse is not possible or practical on the day of ovulation.
Myth: A woman ovulates from the left ovary one month and the right ovary the next month.
Fact: Only one ovary actually ovulates each month. However, the pattern may not be regular from side to side.
Myth: Pillows under the hips during and after intercourse enhance fertility.
Fact: Sperm are already swimming in cervical mucus as sexual intercourse is completed and will continue to travel up the cervix to the fallopian tube for the next 48 to 72 hours. The position of the hips really doesn't matter.
Myth: If you just relax, you'll get pregnant.
Fact: If pregnancy has not occurred after a year, chances are there is a medical condition causing infertility. There is no evidence that stress causes infertility. Remember, all infertile patients are under stress - it's not the stress that causes infertility, it's the infertility that causes the stress!
Myth: Periods that occur less than or greater than 28-day intervals are irregular.
Fact: A woman's period will often vary from month to month. As long as a woman can count on a period at a regular interval every month, this is normal.
Myth: I've never had symptoms of a pelvic infection, so I can't have blocked tubes.
Fact: Many pelvic infections have no symptoms at all, but can cause damage, sometimes irreversible, to tubes.
Myth: My gynecologist has done an internal examination and said I am normal; therefore I should have no problem getting pregnant.
Fact: A routine gynecological examination does not provide information about possible problems that can cause infertility.
© Dr. Aniruddha Malpani and Dr. Anjali Malpani www.drmalpani.com
Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility
