Can pineapple make you pregnant? Should you put your legs in the air after sex? Does having sex every day “use up” the good sperm? And if you would simply relax, would you definitely conceive?
Fertility attracts an extraordinary collection of myths.
Some are relatively harmless. Others take a tiny piece of biological truth and stretch it until it becomes something science never actually said. And some put an enormous and thoroughly unnecessary amount of responsibility on the person trying to become pregnant.
That matters because infertility isn't rare. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around one in six people of reproductive age experience infertility during their lifetime.[1]
So, with affection for your cousin's friend's yoga teacher but slightly greater affection for evidence, let's investigate some of the fertility myths that really need talking about.
Myth #1: A particular food can make you more fertile
Pineapple. Brazil nuts. Pomegranates. Yams. Full-fat dairy. Various seeds organised according to where you are in your menstrual cycle.
The internet has assembled quite the fertility buffet.
Nutrition absolutely matters for general health, including reproductive health. But that is very different from claiming that a particular food can boost fertility or make pregnancy happen.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) concludes that there is insufficient evidence that a specific diet or particular macronutrients improve natural fertility. Research into individual nutrients and dietary patterns is ongoing, but findings are inconsistent.[2]
So if you enjoy pineapple, eat pineapple.
Just don't feel obliged to consume an entire one because TikTok has informed you that your uterus requires it.
The reality: A healthy, balanced diet supports general health, but there isn't a magic fertility food that has been demonstrated to make you pregnant.
Myth #2: Putting your legs in the air after sex helps sperm reach the egg
Ah, the post-sex fertility gymnastics.
You've had sex. Now apparently you need to lie perfectly still, elevate your hips, put your legs against the wall and remain there while gravity negotiates with your reproductive system.
Fortunately, sperm are considerably more competent than this myth gives them credit for.
ASRM states that postcoital routines such as remaining lying down after intercourse have no scientific foundation. Sperm can reach the cervical canal within seconds after ejaculation, and sperm have been detected in the fallopian tubes within minutes.[2]
Some semen leaking out of the vagina afterwards is also normal and doesn't mean that all the sperm have fallen out and your chances have disappeared onto the bedsheet.
The reality: You do not need to put your legs in the air after sex to improve your chances of conception.
Unless you enjoy it.
In which case, excellent stretching.
Myth #3: Certain sex positions improve your chances of getting pregnant
This is essentially Myth #2's more athletic cousin.
You may encounter claims that particular sexual positions deposit sperm “closer” to the cervix and therefore improve the chance of pregnancy.
It sounds vaguely plausible.
Evidence doesn't support it.
ASRM states that there is no evidence that sexual position affects fecundability, the probability of achieving pregnancy within a menstrual cycle.[2]
Sperm begin travelling through the reproductive tract regardless of whether you have selected an internet-approved fertility position.
The reality: There isn't a scientifically established “best sex position” for conception.
Choose according to considerably more enjoyable criteria.
Myth #4: Having sex too often reduces fertility
This myth is usually directed at sperm.
The theory goes that ejaculating too frequently will somehow deplete the supply and leave only a few exhausted stragglers available when ovulation arrives.
That isn't how it works for most people.
According to ASRM, frequent ejaculation does not reduce fertility in men with normal semen quality. In research examining semen samples, sperm concentration and motility remained normal even with daily ejaculation.[2]
When trying to conceive, ASRM reports that reproductive efficiency is highest with intercourse every one to two days during the fertile window, although sex two or three times a week produces results that are nearly equivalent.[2]
The reality: You generally don't need to “save up” sperm for ovulation.
You also don't need to turn sex into a military timetable.
Myth #5: You have to have sex on the exact day you ovulate
This one is understandable.
Egg released + sperm = pregnancy.
Therefore, surely you need sex on precisely the right day?
Fortunately, biology gives you a little more room.
The fertile window covers approximately six days ending on the day of ovulation. Sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for several days, which means sex before ovulation can result in pregnancy. In fact, conception probability is particularly high when intercourse occurs during the couple of days preceding ovulation.[2]
That means your fertility app's little green ovulation circle isn't a one-day appointment you must absolutely make.
And apps cannot necessarily predict the precise day anyway, because fertile-window timing can vary even in people with regular menstrual cycles.[2]
We look at this in more detail in Trying to Conceive: Understanding Ovulation and Your Fertile Window.
The reality: Timing matters, but you don't have a single 24-hour opportunity that disappears if you miss an app notification.
Myth #6: If your periods are regular, your fertility must be fine
Regular periods can provide useful information about your menstrual cycle and may suggest that ovulation is occurring.
But fertility involves much more than ovulation.
The WHO lists potential causes of female infertility involving the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes and endocrine system. Male infertility can involve sperm production, movement, morphology, reproductive-tract obstruction and hormonal factors. Sometimes the cause remains unexplained.[1]
So somebody can have beautifully predictable 28-day cycles and still experience fertility difficulties.
Likewise, irregular cycles don't automatically mean pregnancy is impossible.
The reality: Your menstrual cycle is one part of the fertility picture, not a complete fertility test.
Myth #7: Fertility problems are mainly a women's issue
This one really needs retiring.
Preferably yesterday.
The WHO is explicit that infertility can be caused by factors involving the male or female reproductive system, and sometimes the cause cannot be identified.[1]
Yet conversations about trying to conceive have a remarkable tendency to focus entirely on what the person hoping to become pregnant should track, eat, drink, supplement, stop doing, start doing and worry about.
Meanwhile, sperm quietly avoid the group project.
No.
Fertility is a reproductive issue, not automatically a female one.
The reality: Fertility difficulties can involve either partner, both partners or unexplained factors. Investigation shouldn't automatically focus only on the person with the uterus.
Myth #8: If you just relax, you'll get pregnant
Few sentences are simultaneously so well-intentioned and so spectacularly unhelpful.
Stop thinking about it.
Take a holiday.
It'll happen when you relax.
Stress can affect wellbeing, sleep, relationships and sexual desire. Trying to conceive itself can also be stressful, particularly when sex becomes tightly scheduled around ovulation. ASRM notes that this process can reduce sexual satisfaction and frequency for some couples.[2]
But infertility is a medical condition with many possible causes.[1]
Blocked fallopian tubes do not open because you booked a weekend in Mallorca.
Low sperm counts do not necessarily resolve because everyone did some breathing exercises.
Endometriosis does not disappear because somebody suggested you “stop obsessing”.
The reality: Looking after your mental wellbeing while trying to conceive matters. But telling someone that stress is the reason they haven't become pregnant can be both scientifically misleading and deeply unhelpful.
You are allowed to want a baby and find trying for one stressful at the same time.
Myth #9: Age doesn't really matter anymore because we have IVF
This one requires some nuance.
Plenty of people become pregnant in their late 30s and 40s, both naturally and with fertility treatment.
But female fertility does change with age.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explains that fertility starts to decline around age 30, with the decline becoming faster in the mid-30s. Both the number and quality of remaining eggs change with age.[3]
IVF and egg freezing have created enormously valuable reproductive options, but they cannot guarantee a future pregnancy. ACOG has specifically warned that people can overestimate how effectively assisted reproductive technologies compensate for age-related fertility decline.[4]
This information should not be used to frighten people into having children before they're ready.
It should simply be available so people can make informed decisions.
The reality: Age is one factor affecting female fertility, and fertility treatment doesn't completely remove its effects.
Myth #10: Taking more supplements must improve your chances
Fertility supplements occupy a fascinating wellness category where one bottle can somehow contain 23 ingredients, each apparently essential despite humanity having successfully reproduced before their invention.
Some supplements genuinely have an important place when you're trying to conceive.
For example, the NHS recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily when trying to become pregnant, ideally beginning three months beforehand, and continuing through the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The purpose is to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the developing baby.[5]
Notice what that does not mean.
It doesn't mean folic acid is a fertility booster.
Likewise, more supplements aren't automatically better. Some nutrients can be harmful at excessive levels, and herbal supplements can have interactions or may not be appropriate during pregnancy.
The reality: Follow evidence-based preconception advice rather than assuming that an enormous supplement stack will make conception more likely.
Myth #11: Natural remedies can “balance your hormones” and fix fertility
Ah yes.
Hormone balance.
One of wellness marketing's favourite phrases and one that can mean almost anything depending on who is selling you something.
Herbs including chasteberry, raspberry leaf, maca and ashwagandha frequently appear in conversations about natural remedies for fertility.
Some of these botanicals have been researched for particular reproductive, menstrual or general health outcomes.
But:
Research into menstrual health isn't automatically fertility research.
Research into a botanical extract isn't automatically evidence for herbal tea.
A change in a hormone or biomarker isn't automatically an increased pregnancy rate.
And evidence that something has an effect on the body doesn't mean it magically restores some undefined state called “hormonal balance”.
ASRM concludes that robust evidence is lacking that herbal remedies improve natural fertility in women without ovulatory dysfunction.[2]
For a closer look at some of the botanicals commonly discussed online, see Natural Remedies for Fertility: What Does the Science Actually Say?
The reality: Natural remedies may be interesting subjects for research, but vague claims about “balancing hormones” shouldn't be confused with evidence that a product increases your likelihood of pregnancy.
Myth #12: If you're not pregnant after a few months, something must be wrong
Trying to conceive can make every menstrual cycle feel extremely long.
Period arrives.
Disappointment.
Start again.
When this happens for several months, it can be easy to assume there must be a problem.
But conception doesn't happen immediately for everyone.
At the same time, you don't need to spend years trying before seeking professional advice.
The WHO defines infertility as failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.[1]
When assessment is recommended can also depend on age and individual circumstances. ACOG recommends evaluation after one year of trying for people aged 35 or younger, after six months for those aged 36 to 40, and more immediate discussion for people over 40.[4]
Known reproductive conditions, irregular or absent periods and other medical circumstances may also be reasons to seek advice earlier.
The reality: Not conceiving immediately doesn't automatically mean you're infertile. But if you're concerned, you are allowed to ask for medical advice.
Perhaps the biggest fertility myth: if you do everything “right”, pregnancy will happen
This one sits underneath almost all the others.
Track perfectly.
Eat perfectly.
Time sex perfectly.
Take the right vitamins.
Avoid the wrong foods.
Stay positive.
Don't stress.
Drink the correct tea.
Put your legs in the air.
And pregnancy will be your reward for completing the fertility obstacle course correctly.
That isn't how reproduction works.
You can do everything recommended and still experience infertility.
You can barely know when you ovulate and become pregnant immediately.
There is an element of probability in conception that wellness culture doesn't particularly enjoy because probability is difficult to sell in a bottle.
Healthy habits and good information can support your general and reproductive health.
They cannot guarantee pregnancy.
And struggling to conceive isn't evidence that you failed to optimise yourself sufficiently.
The bottom line
Fertility myths thrive because conception contains uncertainty, and humans are not particularly fond of uncertainty.
We want actions. Rules. Something to eat. Something to avoid. A specific sex position. Preferably a checklist.
But fertility is influenced by numerous factors involving both reproductive partners, and sometimes infertility remains unexplained.
There is no scientifically established sex position that improves fertility. You don't need your legs in the air afterwards. Frequent sex doesn't “use up” fertility. One special food isn't going to make you pregnant. And stress shouldn't be casually blamed when conception takes longer than hoped.
Useful information can help you understand your body and make informed choices.
Fertility folklore can occasionally be fun.
Just perhaps don't take reproductive advice from your cousin's friend's yoga teacher without checking the evidence first.
Especially if she's selling the tea.
References
[1] World Health Organization (WHO). Infertility. Information on the definition, prevalence and causes of infertility, including male, female and unexplained factors.
WHO: Infertility
[2] American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion. Evidence-based guidance covering fertile-window timing, frequency of intercourse, sexual positions, post-sex routines, diet, supplements and lifestyle factors.
ASRM: Optimizing natural fertility
[3] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Having a Baby After Age 35: How Aging Affects Fertility and Pregnancy. Information about age-related changes in fertility.
ACOG: Having a Baby After Age 35
[4] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Anticipatory Counseling Regarding Ovarian-Factor Fertility Decline. Guidance concerning age-related fertility decline and when fertility evaluation may be appropriate.
ACOG: Ovarian-factor fertility decline
[5] NHS. Pregnancy vitamins and supplements. Guidance on folic acid when trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
NHS: Pregnancy vitamins and supplements
This article is for general information only and isn't intended to diagnose or treat infertility or replace individual medical advice. If you have concerns about your fertility, menstrual cycle or reproductive health, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
