Ignore these old wives’ tales if you’re trying for a baby: Eating certain foods, de-stressing before sex, and holding your legs in the air for 15 minutes will make NO difference

• Consultant gynaecologist, Stuart Lavery, busted various conception myths 
• He said having sex three times a week should be enough to conceive naturally 
• Nine in ten couples trying to have a baby conceive naturally within two years 

Lying with your legs in the air after sex does not increase the chances of getting pregnant, a fertility expert has told women.

The suggestion is one of several old wives’ tales, according to Stuart Lavery, a consultant gynaecologist at Hammersmith Hospital, London.

There is no evidence that any particular sexual position helps either, he told the Fertility Show at Olympia London.

Lying with your legs in the air after sex does not increase the chances of getting pregnant, a fertility expert has told women

The suggestion is one of several old wives’ tales, according to Stuart Lavery, a consultant gynaecologist at Hammersmith Hospital, London. Stock picture

Having sex three times a week is enough to conceive, he said, and women should not follow the ‘fertility police’ – it is unnecessary to abstain from wine and caffeine while trying for a baby.

Misconceptions…and reality

Myth: Lying still for 15 minutes with your legs in the air after sex helps.

Reality: There is not enough evidence from large studies that this makes any difference.

Myth: Women who orgasm during sex are more likely to conceive.

Reality: Women who orgasm with their partners are more likely to enjoy sex, have more of it and increase their chance of pregnancy.

Myth: Specific foods, such as sweet potatoes, can make a difference.

Reality: People should not fixate on a set ‘fertility diet’ as they just need to eat healthily to avoid being overweight, so they have a better chance of conceiving.

Myth: Expensive fertility testing kits and apps mean couples can improve their odds by having sex on the exact day a woman is ovulating.

Reality: For most women it is easy to work out when they are ovulating using a calendar – and sperm stays in the body for at least 48 hours so having sex on the day is not critical.

Myth: Stress harms your chances.

Reality: There is not enough evidence for this. 

‘I get asked at least every week by women in my fertility clinic if they should lie with their legs in the air after intercourse to conceive,’ he said.

‘It is usually when they are heading for the door, and they say they have a silly question they want to ask. The problem is that we are so British that we are not brilliant at discussing sex, so these kinds of myths can take hold.’

Some fertility clinics suggest women should lie down for 15 minutes after sex but a Dutch study three years ago cast doubt on this advice.

In nearly 500 women who were artificially inseminated, there was no difference in pregnancy rates whether they remained still for 15 minutes afterwards or got up and walked around.

Mr Lavery told couples: ‘Don’t lie down after sex, unless you are tired or you want to.

‘These myths about falling pregnant exist because people don’t want to be passive about their fertility, so they want to do absolutely everything they can to maximise their chances.’ 

He also dispelled the myth that if a woman has an orgasm, she is more likely to conceive and told couples to avoid ‘scheduling’ sex.

He suggested they try to reduce the amount of stress in their lives, as stress makes them have sex less often.

Nine in ten couples who are trying to have a baby conceive naturally within two years.

Source: Read Full Article