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Is there any one position that is more effective
than another?
There does not appear to be any one position
that is more favorable for conception than any other.
How could my husband be
sterile? He can always get an erection so this does not seem possible.
It is possible to achieve an erection without
having a normal ejaculate or normal sperm count. The production
of semen from the testicle and prostate is a separate process. An
erection is necessary for an ejaculate to be produced and be normal,
but just because an erection occurs and semen is produced, this
does not mean that a sperm count and semen analysis is necessarily
normal.
Does douching affect fertility?
It is not recommended to douche after intercourse.
At other times of the menstrual cycle, douching is allowed but is
not medically necessary. It would be fine and is totally the woman's
preference.
I have worn tampons forever.
Can that negatively affect my chances for getting pregnant?
There is no data to show us that tampon use
decreases success for pregnancy. It is still recommended that regular
changing of a tampon occur in order to prevent Toxic Shock Syndrome,
but there have been no associated infection rate or fertility problems
with tampon use.
When I was younger, I had
an abortion (my husband does not know). Could this be the reason
we have not conceived?
Abortion has not been shown to lower a woman's
success rate for pregnancy in the future. However, if an infection
occurred around that time, as with any other procedures, there may
be tubal damage and abnormalities. If no symptoms of fever, prolonged
bleeding, or pain occurred after the procedure, this is extremely
unlikely.
Should my husband stay "in"
for a period of time after we have had sex?
This should not be necessary. Once ejaculation
has occurred, it is not necessary for the penis to remain in the
vagina for any length of time. Sperm swim very quickly through the
vagina and the cervical mucous into the uterus.
Do I need to lie down for
awhile after sex?
Many people recommend resting for a period
of time after intercourse, however, as stated previously, sperm
swim very quickly and this period of rest is not thought to be absolutely
necessary. Elevation of the hips, legs, etc. is also not necessary.
If I do not have orgasm,
can I still get pregnant?
Absolutely. Orgasm is not essential for either
sperm to travel up into the uterus or for fertilization to subsequently
occur.
I have read about changes
in cervical mucous at ovulation time. How is the best way to check
mine?
A woman may notice cervical mucous changes
just from wiping herself at midcycle around the time of ovulation.
A woman may also insert a finger into the vagina and be able to
detect some cervical mucous that is closer to the cervix. In most
cases, if mucous is very favorable, some is produced and noticed
on either her pants or a panty liner. Favorable mucous is very clear
and abundant and stretches very easily at midcycle.
I contracted a venereal
disease when I was a teen. Could this be the cause of my infertility?
Certain venereal diseases are associated with
fallopian tube damage, most notably chlamydia and gonorrhea. Other
sexually transmitted diseases are not. These include herpes, human
papilloma virus, and trichomonas. It is important for your physician
to take a careful history to determine if any sexually transmitted
diseases are present, however. At times, a chlamydial infection
may be very silent and symptoms may not occur. Also, certain sexually
transmitted diseases could be carried "together". Therefore,
if a viral sexually transmitted disease such as HPV or herpes has
occurred, it is important to report this history to your doctor,
but those particular viruses are not associated with fallopian tube
damage.
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