THE TRUTH BEHIND… FALLING PREGNANT
From downing cough syrup, to keeping your legs up in the air after intercourse – here we separate the
fact from fiction on some of the world’s most common pregnancy ‘old wives tales’.
For generations we have been told a plethora of weird and wonderful tips to help us fall pregnant however,
unfortunately on many occasions these pearls of wisdom fail to fulfil their promises, leaving couples frustrated and
confused as to why they are unable to conceive.
To help separate the fact from fiction, fertility specialist Dr Israel Ortega, from world leading fertility clinic IVI,
provides his expert insight into whether there is any truth behind some common old wives tales.
Keeping your legs raised after sex will improve chances of conception
Dr Ortega says: “Research has suggested that over 30% of UK couples believe that if the woman raises her legs in the
air after intercourse, it will improve their chances of becoming pregnant.
Unfortunately, there is no scientific proof to suggest that this is true. It is important to remember that each male
ejaculation contains millions of sperm so it is simply not possible that all of them would disappear if a woman was to
immediately stand up.
Although there is no evidence to suggest that this is true, there is also no reason not to remain laid down for a short
while after intercourse.”
Drinking cough syrup will help you to conceive
Dr Ortega says: “There isn’t any medical evidence to support this idea, but many women are big advocates of the
approach.
There is one ingredient which is commonly found in cough syrups, Guaifenesin, which some experts claim can thin
cervical fluid – enabling the sperm to travel more easily up the fallopian tubes to fertilise the egg.
We would not recommend this as an approved technique especially as taking medication when not needed can
reduce its effect when required for illness.
Wearing tight underwear can reduce men’s fertility
Dr Ortega says: “One of the most well-known old wives tales surrounding male fertility is that men who wear tight
underwear will lower their sperm count, and therefore, reduce their chances of producing offspring.
Many experts have commented that there is a potential link between a raised scrotal temperature and a reduction in
sperm mobility however, very few medical studies have been able to back this up with evidence that raising the
scrotal temperature has any lasting negative effects on sperm.
For those who do tend to wear tighter underwear and are concerned this may be effecting their fertility, I would
suggest choosing a slightly looser style that will not only allow the skin to breath but will also help with general
personal hygiene.
Exercising can make you infertile
Dr Ortega says: “It has previously been suggested that women who do too much exercise risk making themselves
infertile. However, if you pay attention to your body and ensure that your menstrual cycle is normal, then there is no
reason why this should be the case. In fact, many experts actually advise women to carry out regular exercise when
looking to conceive. Physical exercise has many benefits, particularly for the hormonal system, which can increase
the odds of conception.
I would recommend that anyone trying to fall pregnant is careful of the level of intensity of the exercise that they are
carrying out to ensure that they are not expending too much energy however, generally speaking women should not
be concerned about this.”
Too much stress in your life will stop you from conceiving
Dr Ortega says: “Contrary to popular belief, there is no medical backing to the claim that stress stops you from
falling pregnant. Whilst we would always advice women to try and remove any unnecessary anxiety from their daily
life to help them cope with the natural emotional ups and downs of trying to conceive, overall this should not have
negative impact on your chances of falling pregnant.”
Contrary to the five common old wives tales above, there are two common health issues which people
often associate with infertility which experts claim do have a bearing on pregnancy success rates
Being overweight can affect your chances of falling pregnant
Dr Ortega says: “Being overweight can affect your chances of conceiving and giving birth to a healthy baby. This is
because too much body weight can cause hormonal imbalances and problems with ovulation, such as polycystic
ovary syndrome (PCOS).
At IVI we recently conducted a study which found that obese women not only have a lower chance of conceiving, but
also have a lower IVF success rate compared to women of a more normal weight, as they are likely to develop an
abnormal embryo metabolism.
Obesity not only affects women during and post pregnancy, but is also an important risk factor for chronic diseases
such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes type II, in adolescence and adulthood. In addition
to this, the odds of the offspring being overweight or obese increase 40% and 26% respectively, by the age of 16
years.”
Smoking can have an adverse effect on your offspring
Dr Ortega says: “It is true that people who smoke are more likely to have fertility problems than non-smokers.
However, in addition to causing problems with falling pregnant in the first place, we know that smoking during
pregnancy can also have a significant impact on the health of your offspring – including causing them to become
infertile themselves in later life.
Mothers who smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day during pregnancy will cause direct harm to their offspring. Our
most recent studies have highlighted that mutations in the sperm caused by smoking can be transmitted to offspring
as permanent and irreversible changes to their genetic composition. This means that the consequences of smoking
whilst pregnant extend far beyond the smoker themselves, to their decedents.”
www.ivi-fertility.com/en/
For further information or to speak to one of the expert team from IVI please contact Shelley Frosdick or Hollie
Welch in the UK press office:
ivi@pha-media.com / 020 7025 1374
Notes to editors:

IVI was founded in 1990 as the first medical institution in Spain fully dedicated to Human Reproduction and
it now has 26 clinics in seven countries. Since its creation, IVI has helped over 90,000 children to be born
around the world.

IVI is one of the most prize-winning groups in the world (winner of eight ASRM awards) and it has the most
scientific publications in its field. In addition, it boasts numerous renowned specialists whose scientific work
and clinical results have been awarded international prizes.