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Trying to conceive

What is the best sex position for getting pregnant?

When you are trying to get pregnant, you’re willing to try anything. But will a different sex position actually help?

What is the best sex position for getting pregnant?

Photo: iStock/Prostock-Studio

Is missionary position better than doggy style? Do you need to stand on your head afterwards? Rest assured, there is no need to revert to vanilla sex or ramp up to acrobatic feats. In fact, doctors recommend that couples do whatever feels good for them. (Now that’s news you can use.) What is the best position to get pregnant?

“No one position works better than any other,” says Aseel Hamoudi, who teaches obstetrics and gynaecology at McMaster University in Hamilton. Sperm, by their very nature, swim upstream and can survive in a woman’s reproductive tract for several days, so there’s no need to worry about whether you’re in a position that allows for deep penetration or not.

Whatever the position, Hamoudi advises that if you and your partner use lubrication, double-check that it doesn’t contain spermicide. In fact, many commercial lubricants can affect sperm motility.

Once the deed is done, be sure to rest on your back—it makes it easier for the sperm to swim upstream. If you want to give the little swimmers even more encouragement, place a pillow under your hips. But sticking your legs in the air won’t make any difference (it’s the angle of the pelvis that counts, not what your gams are up to—and the position of your pelvis doesn’t change when you lift your legs). Just lie back and enjoy the moment and avoid getting up and going to the washroom for 10 to 15 minutes.

And while you’re waiting, don’t stress over whether you had an orgasm or not. There is no scientific proof that it will increase the odds of conception.

When you’re trying to conceive, the most important thing is timing. Since eggs can survive for only 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, most doctors recommend that couples have sex every other day during a woman’s most fertile period—three days before her estimated ovulation and two days afterwards. Even if your periods are fairly regular, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when you will ovulate, so this is a good way to cover your bases. If sperm is already in the reproductive tract, it can pounce as soon as the egg is released.

This article was originally published on May 01, 2018

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