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Fertility problems can often seem mysterious and taboo, but they don't have to be. Struggles to conceive are not often portrayed in the media in an honest and transparent way. It's easy to scroll through Instagram and see lots of posts about first birthdays, pregnancy announcements or finding out the sex of the baby. What you don't see are dozens of negative pregnancy tests, disappointing IVF cycles and frustrating months of ovulation tracking. But fear not! Although fertility is complicated, it doesn't have to be intimidating. There are tons of resources and facts about fertility and conception that you can use when trying.
Here are 8 of the most surprising facts we'd like to share.
The first surprising fact about reproductive cells is how long they live inside and outside the body. The spermatozoon is the male reproductive cell. It unites with the ovum, the female reproductive cell, during fertilization. Each of these two reproductive cells has its own characteristics, which we'll explain below.
Firstly, eggs are produced by the ovaries during the ovulation period. This period is generally around the 14th day of the cycle. The lifespan of an egg after the day of ovulation is just 24 hours.
To calculate this fertility window correctly, we recommend the use of ovulation tests. These tests monitor the level of the female hormones responsible for ovulation in the body. As the ovulation date approaches, this level rises, and at the end of ovulation, it falls.
Plusbaby ovulation tests help you determine your fertile period. It should be repeated for 6 days of the cycle to monitor hormone levels, which rise as ovulation approaches and are at their highest on the day of ovulation.
The lifespan of sperm inside the vagina varies from two to five days. The conditions inside the vagina are ideal for sperm survival. Throughout this period, sperm move around in search of an egg to fertilize. Outside the vagina, on the other hand, sperm can only live for a few minutes.
During certain cycles, a woman may ovulate twice simultaneously. Double ovulation means the production of two eggs ready for fertilization. This double ovulation occurs simultaneously, or at an interval of less than 24 hours, in both ovaries. This can result in a fraternal pregnancy if both eggs are fertilized.
There may be several causes for this phenomenon. Dr. Laure Bourrellier, gynecologist at the Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Villeneuve-St-Georges, explains that one of them may be the advanced age of the mother. In fact, if there is a drop in ovarian reserve, the cycle can compensate by multiple ovulation. This would explain why older women are more likely to have twins.
According to the Swiss Medical Forum, the age at which mothers give birth to their first child is rising steadily in Switzerland and throughout Europe.
The fertility rate among women over 35 drops precipitously, and the rate of spontaneous abortions rises. But that doesn't mean it's impossible to get pregnant at an advanced age. On the contrary, it's more common these days for women to become pregnant at over 40.
It's important to note that women aren't the only ones subject to a decline in fertility from the age of 40. Men's fertility is twice as low from the age of 55 onwards. Increasing age has an impact on sperm quality, and therefore on fertility.
The menBoth men and women can contribute to infertility, and often there is no single contributor. In fact, fertility problems are often a combination of both men and women. So keep this in mind if you're having fertility problems and difficulty conceiving.
Some people think that the best day to conceive is the day of ovulation. But this is not entirely true. Making love on the day of ovulation doesn't give you a better chance of getting pregnant. Here are the reasons why:
A normal cycle lasts 28 days. It begins on the first day of menstruation. The date of ovulation is generally the 14th day of the cycle. Conception is possible from the 8th day of the cycle until the 16th day. This is known as the fertile period.
It is possible to get pregnant if you try to conceive on the day of ovulation, but the chances are no higher than on any other day during this period. This has to do with the lifespan of sperm, which is several days. So you're just as likely to get pregnant if you have sex in the days around your ovulation day as on the day itself, because sperm can survive in the vagina for up to five days and wait patiently for an egg to be fertilized. Learn to understand your fertility to increase your chances of conceiving a baby.
Here's a myth we love to bust. We can't tell you how many articles and Instagram posts we've seen touting the "best sex positions to get pregnant". As long as ejaculation happens with you on your fertile days, it doesn't really matter how you do the deed. Just make sure you're enjoying yourself!
Men's surprising fertility: one ejaculation can contain up to 500 million spermThe average number of sperm per milliliter of ejaculation is around 100 million. Knowing that on average, an ejaculation contains between 2 and 5 milliliters of sperm, the normal number of sperm during ejaculation can reach 500 million! Be careful, however: this number varies from one person to another, even from one day to the next for the same person, and it especially tends to decrease with age, from 45-50 years old.
These tiny cells are used to carry the father's genetic information needed to make a baby. Each spermatozoon is made up of three parts: the head, the central part and the tail, also known as the flagellum.
Visit male fertility is even more puzzling when you consider that each ejaculation contains around 70 % of seminal fluid. This fluid is made up of proteins, minerals and vitamins that strengthen and nourish the sperm. Spermatozoa account for only 1 % of this seminal fluid. Male fertility is incredible when you consider that 1 % of seminal fluid contains up to 500 million sperm! Imagine the race to reach the egg!
Stay connected with Plusbaby. Sign up for a free e-book to understand your menstrual cycle and help you identify your most fertile period. You'll also get early access to offers.
