As newlyweds in African countries, the next big news your family and ‘well-wishers’ would love to hear is that the wife is pregnant. If by nature, one does fall into the category of the 25% of couples that may have to try to conceive for over a year, one may be exposed to different myths and folk lores especially the woman.
Don’t worry; as intellectuals, humans love to conceptualize. It’s hard and almost impossible for us to leave issues and happenings alone without analysing and giving an explanation, whether scientific or mythical. Fertility is not left out in this conceptualization. Fertility or infertility as the case maybe is shrouded with different stories believed by many people yet not true or proven.
Here are some of the most popular myths you may ever encounter, and yours truly debunking them.
Only women have fertility issues
She’s the one whose egg is bad, she’s the one with the blocked tubes, she’s the one with the damaged womb, she’s the one with the hormonal imbalance… the list is almost unending. Truth is men do have fertility issues too and if you’re undergoing fertility treatment, it is important that your partner is also evaluated; he may need medical intervention. There are several analysis of male fertility; blockages in sperm carrying tubes, testicular injury or diseases, genetic disorders, hormonal disorders and sperm disorders. Men do have fertility challenges too and both partners involved should see a fertility expert together when trying to conceive.
Age does not affect Men’s fertility
Over and over again, it has been consistently drummed into the ears of the girl-child that her biological clock is ticking and ticking really fast. A woman’s fertility indeed begins to dwindle in her early to mid thirties, although this also varies for each woman. But new studies have shown that age does not just affect the fertility of the woman but also that of the man. The idea that a man’s fertility would always be robust is untrue. It was discovered that it takes up to 5 times longer for a man over 45 to get a woman pregnant than if he was under 25. Age takes a toll on both male and female fertility status.
You Ovulate on day 14
This day 14 ovulation theory is so widespread yet it is untrue. The length of your menstrual cycle determines when you will ovulate. Normal cycles range from 24 days to 35 days, you will only ovulate around day 14 if you are on 28 day cycle. Another on a 24 day cycle would likely ovulate on day 11, and 26 days cycle ovulation day would be on the 13th day count. This does not mean you would ovulate on the 12th, 13th or 14th of every month, it means ovulation would be on the 12th or 13th day count after Last Menstrual Period (LMP). Use an ovulation calendar or kit to track your ovulation period.
You are only fertile one day a month
There’s a bit of confusion over when to have sex if you’re Trying To Conceive TTC. As much as the emphasis is to have sex very close to ovulation, targeting sex on the day of ovulation is not too perfect as many women cannot tell when they are ovulating. You have a 5-day fertile window, and the sperm could survive for few days inside the woman’s body, have sex more between the fertile window which includes 4 days before ovulation and a day after.
Adopting a baby will make you get pregnant
Every time I hear this, I blink hard and fast! A baby should be for love and not to think of him or her as a genie that produces baby. Would you throw out the baby after 5 years if she ‘refused to produce’? An adopted baby is a baby, and babies are to be loved with no responsibilities and conditions attached! People tend to hear about those cases where couples adopt then conceive and not all the cases where women did not get pregnant following adoption.
Being infertile means you are a failure
Infertility is a major challenge but it’s not the ultimate success indicator. You are not your womb and no one should be defined by how many kids they have or do not have. Anyone can have significant success, fertility challenges or none. Embrace life to the fullest while you expect your desire to materialize.
Staying positive while trying to conceive could be a herculean task but it’s possible, share your concerns with loved ones and don’t bottle everything up inside you. See a fertility expert and be optimistic without fretting, ask your doctors all the questions in your heart and discard all unproven myths.
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