16 Questions About Fertility You May Be Too Afraid To Ask
Navigating the questions around fertility can be a bit of a minefield. From queries like ‘when are you most fertile’ to ‘how to check your fertility’, it can be near impossible to figure out what other sorts of questions you need to ask for your fertility journey.
Contrary to belief, there’s no such thing as a silly question – especially when it comes to our health and overall wellness. The Ribbon Box, with the help of Dr Samantha Pfeifer, has answered some of the most common fertility questions, for those who plan on expanding their family this year.
Can sperm quality affect embryos and implantation rate?
Yes, sperm quality can impact embryos and the implantation rate but we don’t fully understand the mechanisms behind this. Certainly, lower sperm numbers and motility can affect fertilisation rate but it’s not clear how low sperm count impacts the quality of embryos.
Recently, scientists have discovered that DNA fragmentation can affect the quality of sperm but it’s unclear how it might affect embryo quality. With age, a man’s sperm quality can deteriorate and can be associated with an increased risk of a conceived child developing autism (or other autosomal dominant mutations).
Can you boost egg quality after the age of 35?
Whilst a woman’s age does have an impact on the success of embryos (and the current understanding is that egg or embryo quality cannot be improved), it’s worth remembering that egg quality after 35 isn’t necessarily bad.
Some studies have shown that COQ10, DHA and acupuncture can make a difference to egg quality but the research isn’t fully robust or conclusive.
Can hydrosalpinx cause miscarriage?
Hydrosalpinx is fluid that accumulates in the fallopian tube, typically because there is a blockage at the end of the tube. Associated with a 50% lower pregnancy rate in IVF patients, the fluid in the hydrosalpinx is thought to flush the embryo out of the uterus or the fluid may be “toxic” and harmful to the embryo.
Once an embryo has attached, the fluid is unlikely to be detrimental to the embryo.
How can you decrease natural killer cells during transfer?
However, if you are with a clinic who believe natural killer cells do impact fertility, you could try steroids, intralipids and infusions.
Does having an abortion affect your future fertility?
Does having an abortion affect your future fertility?
Does being on the pill negatively impact fertility?
No- A birth control pill works by shutting down the menstrual cycle and sometimes when an individual stops taking the pill, there may be a delay in the return of menstruation. This can happen as a result of a lifestyle change (contributing to irregular cycles), not necessarily the pill.
Other forms of reversible contraception are reversible and won’t impact fertility in the long-term.
It’s worth remembering that egg quality after 35 isn’t necessarily bad.
How long after coming off contraception does your period return to “normal”?
If you’re on a progesterone IUD or an oral contraceptive, it could take six- to eight-weeks for periods to return to normal, for you.
How do STIs impact fertility in men and women?
In men, STIs don’t have any significant impact on fertility (except they can transfer an STI to female partners).
HIV doesn’t cause fertility problems itself (but problems arise if one partner is infected and the other is not – in this case, steps should be taken to minimise transmission, such as through IVF).
Does period duration show how likely you are to conceive?
No, however, if a person’s period lasts longer, (or if there is a significant change in the length of a menstruating) it could lead to investigations as to why this is happening which may highlight fertility complications. For example, if someone has a long period duration because of a structural issue in the uterus, the structural issue itself could impact a person’s fertility.
The timing of periods (whether a cycle is longer or shorter) can have an impact on TTC because it can mean that a woman isn’t ovulating regularly.
Do phones and laptops harm your fertility?
No, not in terms of radiation. However, for overall health, remove the electronic devices from your bedroom so you can go to sleep without distractions and have a good night’s sleep.
Can vitamin D improve fertility?
No. Although Vitamin D doesn’t impact fertility, correcting Vitamin D deficiency is important to improving overall health. (Nearly everyone is Vitamin D deficient, so reach for those quality Vitamin D supplements).
Do sex positions impact whether you get pregnant?
No but have fun exploring different sex positions! To read a somatic sex coach’s guidance for making sex fun when TTC
Do sex positions impact whether you get pregnant?
Do sex positions impact the gender you might conceive?
Are there any sex positions you should avoid when pregnant?
Having sex when pregnant is safe, unless there are issues with the pregnancy like pre-term labour.
Does eating sweet potato when you’re trying to conceive make you more likely to have twins?
No. Some sweet potatoes contain oestrogen-like substances, which is where the misconception may have come from, but they don’t impact conception.
Does using lube make it harder to get pregnant?
Probably not. Some lubricants can be toxic (or contain harmful additives) to sperm but the likelihood is that most lubricants are safe for sperm, when used in small amounts.
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