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Myth: Painful periods cause infertility.
Fact: Painful periods do not affect fertility. In fact, for most patients, regular painful periods usually signal ovulatory cycles. However, progressively worsening pain during periods (especially when this is accompanied by pain during sex) may mean you have endometriosis.
Myth: Infrequent periods cause infertility.
Fact: As long as the periods are regular, this means ovulation is occurring. Some normal women have menstrual cycle lengths of as long as 40 days. Of course, since they have fewer cycles every year, the number of times they are "fertile" in a year is decreased. Also, they need to monitor their fertile period more closely, since this is delayed (as compared to women with a 30 day cycle).
Myth: Blood group "incompatibility" between husband and wife can cause infertility.
Fact: There is no relation between blood groups and fertility.
Myth: The reason I'm not getting pregnant is because most of the sperm leaks out of the vagina after intercourse.
Fact: Loss of seminal fluid after intercourse is perfectly normal, and most women notice some discharge immediately after sex. Many infertile couples imagine that this is the cause of their problem. If your husband ejaculates inside you, then you can be sure that no matter how much fluid you lose afterwards, enough sperm will reach the cervical mucus. This discharge is not a cause of infertility.
Myth: If you work at it and want it enough, you'll get pregnant.
Fact: Unlike many other parts of your lives, infertility may be beyond your control. While newer methods of treatment have improved most couples' chances of having a baby, some problems are still unsolvable.
Myth: Just pray and have faith.
Fact: Believing in god can help you to maintain a positive outlook - but sheer will and blind faith won't overcome a physical problem like blocked tubes or absent sperms.
Myth: A man can judge his fertility by the thickness and volume of his semen.
Fact: Semen consists mainly of seminal fluid, secreted by the seminal vesicles and the prostate. The volume and consistency of the semen is not related to its fertility potential, which depends upon the sperm count. This can only be assessed by microscopic examination.
Myth: Infertility is hereditary.
Fact: If your mother, grandmother or sister has had difficulty becoming pregnant, this does not necessarily mean you will have the same problem! Most infertility problems are not hereditary, and you need a complete evaluation.
© Dr. Aniruddha Malpani and Dr. Anjali Malpani www.drmalpani.com
Credits: How to Have a Baby: Overcoming Infertility
