Four Facts for Getting Pregnant

There are many myths surrounding pregnancy. Everyone from grandma to the old man in the supermarket aisle has theories on the subject. The simple act of conceiving can seem like a series of trials-by-fire, drill tests of your mental strength and questioning doubts about your commitment to having a baby.

If you’re trying to have a baby, or are considering the option, it’s time now to take a step back and relax. There are some simple facts (not myths or wild theories) that can help you achieve your goal.

The Facts

1. It is the sperm alone that determines the gender of your baby, depending on which sex chromosome the sperm is carrying. Male sperm carries a Y chromosome while Female sperm carries an X chromosome. The egg always carries an X chromosome. A baby boy has an XY chromosome combination and a baby girl has an XX chromosome combination. One of these two combinations will occur following the implantation of the sperm in the egg (in a normal pregnancy). There is statistically about a 50% chance of conceiving either a boy or a girl.
2. Sperm has a lifespan of up to 5 days. Female sperm has a longer lifespan (about 5 days) than male sperm (about 2 days). This is because the male sperm is a faster “swimmer” than the female sperm. The male sperm uses up its energy reserves faster than the female sperm.
3. Ovulation occurs around 14 days after the first day of your last period, or 14 days before the expected day of your next period. This is generally true for a regular 28-day menstrual cycle. If you do not have a regular cycle calculating your expected day of ovulation is difficult. Speak to your GP.
4. An egg, once released from the ovary, has a limited lifespan of 1 or 2 days maximum.

Using these Facts

As you can see, knowing your exact day / hour / minute of ovulation is not necessary in order to conceive. You have up to 5 days after sex for the sperm and egg to meet (but only 1 or 2 days after the egg is released from the ovary).

So all you couples out there measuring your temperature and trying to pinpoint that perfect moment, just forget about it. For starters, you can only measure your temperature accurately from absolute rest. Put simply, unless you take your temperature in the morning as soon you wake up (providing someone else gets the thermometer for you and you don’t move) you won’t get an accurate reading. And, unless you’re ovulating at the exact moment when you wake up in the morning, you won’t get an accurate reading.