Common Fertility Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction
Attention to fertility has increased in recent years, fueled by the trend of delayed childbearing. Women are choosing to press pause on pursuing family-building as they prioritize professional aspirations, meet partners later in life, or address other medical conditions first. As a result, many women start or expand their family at a later age, well into their 30s and early 40s. However, reproductive aging can have a major impact on the ability to achieve one’s desired sized family, either on their own or with the assistance of fertility treatment.
When it comes to fertility, misinformation is everywhere – friends, family members, influencers, social media, and even movies and television shows often spread myths that can cause unnecessary stress and confusion. Understanding facts about fertility can help people make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
Here are five common fertility myths and the truth behind them.
Myth #1: If You Are Healthy, You Can Get Pregnant At Any Age
Fact: While maintaining a healthy lifestyle can support fertility, age remains one of the most important factors affecting reproductive potential. The quality of a woman’s eggs is highest in her mid-20s through her early 30s. After the early 30s, both the quality and quantity of her eggs begin to decline and the probability of achieving a pregnancy in one menstrual cycle decreases significantly, especially after age 37. At later ages, it may take women longer to conceive on their own and there is a higher chance of miscarriage since older eggs are prone to fertilize abnormally. Besides age, factors that can affect fertility potential include tobacco use, underlying medical conditions, prior ovarian surgery, chemotherapy, pelvic radiation, and certain genetic abnormalities. Male fertility can also decline with age although this typically occurs at a slower rate.
Takeaway: Healthy habits are important, but they cannot overcome the effects of aging on fertility. Understanding the profound impact of reproductive aging is vital for women who delay starting or expanding their family.
Myth #2: Fertility Problems Are Usually the Woman’s Fault
Fact: Fertility challenges can affect anyone and, in fact, causes of infertility are more equally divided than one may perceive. About one-third of infertility cases are due to female factors, one-third due to male factors, and the remaining cases involve both partners and unexplained causes.
Takeaway: Fertility is a shared issue affecting about 1 in 6 couples. Both male and female partners should undergo simultaneous assessment when difficulties arise so as not to delay treatment. No one person should be blamed.
Myth #3: Stress Causes Infertility
Fact: Stress can affect overall health with chronic stress potentially influencing hormones that affect ovulation or sperm production. Moreover, increased stress can affect fertility by diminishing libido, therefore making it harder to time intercourse. But everyday stress alone is NOT a direct cause of infertility. There is no scientific evidence that stress affects your ability to conceive. Conversely, “relaxing” does not translate into an increased probability of conceiving.
Takeaway: Managing stress is beneficial for well-being, but women experiencing fertility challenges should not blame themselves for being “too stressed.” Infertility is one of the biggest stressors imaginable and finding healthy ways to cope with or reduce stress is not easy. Managing stress should not be thought of as an individual responsibility. Utilizing resources such as counseling, support groups, familial/friend support, and self-care can improve overall health and create a more favorable environment for conception.
Myth #4: Birth Control Causes Long-Term Infertility
Fact: Most forms of hormonal birth control do not permanently affect fertility. However, it may take a few months for a woman’s natural menstrual cycle to regulate and return to a predictable schedule after stopping hormonal contraception. The type of conception largely dictates how long this process takes. Depo-Provera, for example, which is now a less commonly used methods of contraception, has a longer effect on ovulation suppression, and so it can take 6 to 9 months for ovulation and menstrual cycles to restart.
Takeaway: Birth control does not generally reduce a women’s future ability to become pregnant.
Myth #5: Fertility Treatments Always Result in Twins or Triplets
Fact: Advances in fertility treatments have made multiple pregnancies less common. IVF with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and transfer of a single euploid (chromosomally normal) embryo in a cycle has become the preferred method of IVF. This approach enhances the ability to prevent an aneuploid pregnancy (chromosomally abnormal) and avoid the devastating and emotional suffering from a miscarriage. In fact, fertility treatment involving ovulation induction with either Clomid or Letrozole have only a 5-10% risk of a twin pregnancy and a triplet pregnancy is even more rare with this treatment.
Takeaway: Most fertility treatments today are designed to maximize the chance of a healthy single pregnancy.
The Bottom Line
Fertility is complex and misconceptions can make an already emotionally charged topic even more confusing. Therefore, understanding the facts outlined above can help individuals and families make informed decisions about their reproductive health. If you have concerns about your fertility, speaking with a fertility specialist can provide personalized information and supportive care. Accurate information is an essential tool for protecting reproductive health.