As the weeks turn into months you may begin to realize the cold truth that getting pregnant isn't as easy as you had imagined. If it's your first time you may even have spent most of your life trying to 'avoid' getting pregnant and even fearing it. Well now the time has come you may be starting to realize that it isn't as straight forward as you thought. There are several factors which may be impeding your getting pregnant.
Why is it so difficult?
Well, logistically, the timing is very important. A healthy woman ovulates only once every cycle normally releasing an egg which needs to be fertilized within a period of 6 to 12 hours in order to become pregnant. This is the main factor which stops the majority of healthy couples from becoming pregnant.
The male sperm can survive inside the woman for between 2 and 3 days and the ideal situation for fertilization is to have the sperm recently deposited inside the woman and waiting for the egg to appear - most fertilization actually takes place at the mouth of the fallopian tubes.
The quality of the male sperm can vary greatly. Heat around the testicles, the wearing of tight underwear and excessive use are all factors which can greatly decrease the amount of active fertile sperm reducing the possibility of fertilization.
So if a couple had intercourse twice a day every day for the whole month it would not necessarily be as effective as to have intercourse only once at the right time... just hours before ovulation occurs.
An effective method used by many couples is the charting method or BBT (Basal Body Temperature) method. This basically involves charting the daily vaginal temperature. Just at the point of ovulation there is a significant rise in temperature. This, combined with other symptoms such as density of vaginal mucus and possible abdominal sensations will show when ovulation is occurring. After a few months of using this highly accurate method, the couple can predict with high certainty exactly when ovulation will occur and can have intercourse just hours before to ensure fertilization.
Major health matters that impede fertilization include smoking and drinking in both the woman and the man. The woman should make sure that she has a good supply of vitamin B12 (found in meat, fish, eggs and milk) also the taking of folic acid can greatly help matters. Drug taking (including some prescription drugs) is also very harmful for the conception process (and for the unborn baby if continued into pregnancy). The smoking of cannabis/marijuana reduces the amount of active sperm produced by the man by well over 50% and the effects of this last for over 6 months.
All these points show how difficult it can be to get pregnant and you might begin to see that the creation of another human life really is a miracle when you see how improbable the chances of fertilization really are.
Why The Proper Angle Can Help You Conceive
Most people know that tilting the pelvis during and immediately after intercourse can help assist in the conception process. The tilting allows the sperm to pool around the cervix and gives them a better chance of entering the uterus and fallopian tubes. If a woman immediately stands up or lies flat after intercourse, the sperm can slip out of the vagina altogether.
So what angle is best? Most experts agree that a 26 to 27 degree pitch is the best to allow gravity to assist the sperm in its travels. Women should assume this pitched position during or immediately following intercourse and remain in that position for about 30 minutes to gain the full effects.
If possible, the man should time his climax at maximum penetration so that his sperm is deposited as close as possible to the cervix. It is also helpful if the woman can climax at the same time. When a woman reaches climax, the cervix actually "dips" with each contraction. If a pool of sperm is at the base of the cervix, the cervix will actually dip itself into the pool, greatly increasing the chances that sperm will enter into the uterus. Even if the couple's climaxes cannot be timed together (who needs that kind of pressure, anyway?), it is helpful if the woman can climax after the sperm has been deposited. Guys, it is likely that you need to step up and help out here. You may not be able to stay erect long enough, but you can always find some other way to assist your lady in achieving orgasm.
It is important not to put too much pressure on yourselves to become pregnant. Higher stress levels may actually decrease your conception potential. Conception sex should be as fun as regular sex and it should be more frequent. Couples sometimes get trapped in the "we must have sex right now" to get pregnant. While ovulation planning can be an important step in conceiving, it is imperative that neither individual feel pressured to perform on the spot. More relaxed, frequent sex will help more than high-pressured performance sex.
The best positions for conception are the Missionary (man on top) and Rear-Entry (either kneeling or lying down). Both of these positions allow for maximum penetration and closer access to the cervix. However, it is still important for the woman to elevate herself at the proper angle to maximize conception potential.
There are currently several excellent books on the market with some really good pregnancy tips.
