5th May 2014 | by MFC Team
11 common myths fertility doctors hear
Approximately one in six couples experience fertility problems. In honour of National Infertility Awareness Week in the United States, Dr. Angeline Beltsos, the medical director at Fertility Centers of Illinois, highlighted the myths that fertility doctors hear.
The most common misconceptions include fertility and age, for example, assuming that male fertility doesn’t decline with age, and that females can wait until they are over 40 to have children if other women in their families have successfully had children at older ages. Similar myths involve believing that women don’t have to worry about their egg quality until they are over 40, especially if they are fit and in great shape.
Misconceptions about nutrition and lifestyle factors such as smoking are also common. Some believe that a woman doesn’t need to stop smoking until she is pregnant, not realizing that smoking can affect fertility. Others do not understand the link between fertility problems and being over or underweight. Many people wrongly assume that caffeine doesn’t have an impact on fertility, when research suggests that it does. It is also common to assume that only women need to take supplements before pregnancy, when in fact supplements may also enhance a man’s fertility.
Additional myths include the timing of sex and ovulation, such as believing that having sex every day, or 24 hours after ovulation will increase the likelihood of pregnancy.
Read more about the 11 myths here.
You’ll find answers to frequently asked questions and common myths surrounding fertility on our site, including here.
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