Whether you are on the fence about motherhood or actively planning for parenthood, it always helps to iron out the myths around fertility. It’s a complicated topic that can lead to a mountain of misunderstanding and make planning contraception and conception very difficult indeed. In order to set the record straight and help you live out your best life decisions, we tackle five myths surrounding fertility…

Fertility is a Woman’s Issue

When it comes to fertility issues, its something that is forever associated with women. But fertility affects all genders and is something that everyone needs to think about. Studies have shown that when it comes to couples seeking help for fertility issues, half of the challenges were found to be from the sperm side. If you are looking to conceive and having difficulty, make sure that male partners are also tested for trouble spots.

You Can’t Get Pregnant After 40

It’s neither impossible nor straightforward to conceive after the age of forty. Women do have a limited supply of eggs and this does decline with age, but this doesn’t mean that the shelf will be empty as soon as you pass over into your fourth decade on earth. These days we have highly advanced technologies such as IVF that can help women conceive as long as they haven’t gone through the menopause. As above, it's not just women that carry the torch when it comes to age and fertility, with age men’s sperm loses some of its potency too. While it may be a little more trying to conceive after 40 it certainly isn’t impossible.

The Pill Reduces Your Fertility

While the pill gets a bad rap for many things, one rumor that doesn’t carry any weight is the idea that taking the pill can harm your fertility. Whether you take the pill or not has zero impact on how fertile you will be once you stop taking it. The true factors that affect fertility are age and physical reproductive health along with your overall health.

Sex Everyday Is the Best Way

For those wanting to conceive it’s a common misconception that you should get busy every day to heighten your chances. Of course, if you have the energy to get down every day – go for it. However, don’t put yourself through the paces purely for conception or you could burn out. Getting to know your own cycle is a great way to know which window works best. Fourteen days after you start your menstrual cycle is usually when you are at your most fertile. A couple of days before that, during and afterwards are your best shot. FYI lying with your legs in the air post-sex doesn’t actually change your chances of conceiving.

Meds and Drugs Don’t Affect Fertility

Some medicines can have a knock-on effect when it comes to fertility – in particular, some antidepressants like SSRI’s can interfere with ovulation cycles. It is always worth chatting to your doctor if you are on meds and wanting to conceive to find out what the best course of action is. Outside of medicinal use, smoking and taking drugs can also have an impact on your fertility chances, so it may be worth considering seeking help for quitting before you start mapping out your fertility journey.

Everyone’s journey with fertility takes a different path, there is no one size fits all scenario. It’s important to know how to separate fact from fiction so you can make the best choices. Which pressing questions come up for you around fertility? Share in the comments.