If you are trying to get pregnant and it hasn't happened yet, you may be getting extremely frustrated. You may be so frustrated that you are searching for a magic solution. Friends and family may be telling you the things that worked for them. If you think some of their solutions sound a little far fetched, you are probably right. Other well-meaning people could be telling you to "just relax". But when you want to get pregnant, such platitudes can be equally as discouraging as the negative pregnancy test you get each month.
As you well know, sex has to happen for a baby to be conceived. It is more than just sex that has to happen. Sperm has to get to the egg. If the sperm does not get there, you simply aren't going to get pregnant. There is a lot of information that claims different positions during sex will provide a greater chance of the sperm getting to the egg.
Medical studies show that there is no one position that will guarantee the sperm gets to the egg. Whether or not the sperm gets to the egg is highly dependent upon two things: 1.) Whether or not the egg and the sperm meet within 24 hours of the egg's release from the ovary; and 2.) Whether or not the sperm can travel fast enough to get to the egg. However, logic indicates that if the woman is lying down, there is a better chance of the semen staying in her for a longer period of time.
Since sperm can live for as many as four days, the longer the semen stays in the woman, the greater her chances of achieving conception become. Obviously, the missionary position with the woman on the bottom and the man on top will accomplish this better than any other sexual position. Taking all of the fun out of sex to get pregnant is never a good idea, so take this suggestion lightly and use your imagination to come up with other positions that will keep semen inside of your body for a longer amount of time without sacrificing the fun of being with your partner.
It is a widely spread suggestion that women keep their legs straight up in the air after intercourse. While this is not really necessary, it certainly will not hurt anything. The easier it is for the sperm to get to the egg, the greater the chance of conception will be. Again, it is going to be the health of the sperm that gets it to the egg, so you may be helping things out a little with your feet in the air, but it isn't a guarantee to achieving your desired pregnancy.
If pregnancy hasn't happened for you, it is possible that you are trying to have sex very frequently. While frequent sex can be great for the passion in a relationship, it can be harmful to you conception chances. Too frequent sex can be even more detrimental to your conception chances than sex standing up can be! The man needs enough time for new sperm to be produced. Frequent sex can result in ejaculate with low concentrations of sperm. A good rule of thumb is to have intercourse every 48 hours when trying to conceive.
It is really important that sex not become mechanical when trying to get pregnant. Unfortunately, that is often what happens. Try to enjoy intercourse and remember that your baby should come from an environment of love.
