News
May 19, 2026
Anyone thinking about starting a family, trying to conceive, or going through a fertility assessment will sooner or later come across advice and claims about fertility. Unfortunately, many of them are based on myths rather than scientific evidence.
Misinformation about fertility, IVF, ovulation, female fertility and male fertility creates both unnecessary worry and false expectations. Fertility is a complex area influenced by many factors, including age, egg quality, sperm quality, lifestyle and underlying medical conditions.
In this article we go through six common myths and explain what the science actually tells us. If you want answers about your own situation, a fertility assessment is the fastest way to get them.
What this article covers:
Myth verdict: PARTLY TRUE
Ovarian reserve does decline with age, but that is only part of the explanation. Egg quality declines in parallel and hormonal patterns change. It is the combination of these three factors that makes age the single most important influence on female fertility.
Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, amounting to several million immature eggs at birth. Throughout life this number steadily decreases, and only around 400 eggs will mature and be released through ovulation during a woman's reproductive years.
As women age, hormonal patterns change, which can make ovulation less regular. Perhaps the most significant change, however, is the gradual decline in egg quality. Egg quality refers to an egg's ability to result in a healthy pregnancy — not all eggs have the potential to develop into a baby.
Genetic abnormalities in eggs or sperm are the most common cause of early miscarriage, and the risk increases with age. Advancing age can therefore both reduce the chance of conceiving and increase the risk of recurrent miscarriage.
Fertility is a complex concept, influenced by:
For this reason it can be valuable to speak with close female relatives about their reproductive health. If there is a family history of fertility challenges, seeking counselling or a fertility assessment at an earlier stage may be beneficial.
Myth verdict: FALSE
Pregnancy is only possible during the fertile window — the five days leading up to ovulation plus the day of ovulation itself. Outside that window there is no egg to fertilise. Because ovulation timing varies between cycles, regular intercourse is more reliable than aiming at a single day.
The fertile window generally includes the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. For pregnancy to occur, sperm and egg must meet at the right time. Because sperm can survive for several days, intercourse a few days before ovulation can still lead to pregnancy, while the chance of conception declines rapidly once the egg is no longer available for fertilisation.
Sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to five days under favourable conditions. An egg, by contrast, can only be fertilised for approximately 12 to 24 hours after it is released from the ovary. That difference is why the days before ovulation matter more than the days after.
Ovulation does not always occur on exactly the same day each month. Even women with regular cycles experience variation from one cycle to another. Stress, illness, travel, weight changes, intense exercise and other life events can all influence ovulation. Several tools help improve cycle awareness:
If ovulation is absent or very irregular, ovulation induction may be an option.
For couples trying to conceive, regular intercourse throughout the cycle is generally recommended rather than focusing on a specific day. Having intercourse two to three times per week usually provides good opportunities for sperm to be present when ovulation occurs.
Myth verdict: FALSE
IVF has helped millions of people become parents, but it is neither a universal solution nor a guarantee of pregnancy. The right treatment depends on the underlying cause — sometimes lifestyle changes or simpler treatments are enough, sometimes donor eggs or sperm are needed.
In IVF, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries, fertilised with sperm in the laboratory, and an embryo is transferred to the uterus. The most appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause of infertility. In some cases lifestyle changes, hormone therapy or simpler fertility treatments may be sufficient. In others, IVF offers the best chance of conception.
There is also a widespread tendency to overestimate what IVF can achieve. Many people assume that IVF guarantees pregnancy, but the reality is more complicated. Treatment often involves multiple attempts, adjustments to medication, and a process that can be physically and emotionally demanding.
If very few eggs remain, or if embryos fail to develop because of compromised egg or sperm quality, IVF may have limited ability to overcome those challenges.
Fertility medicine has advanced significantly over recent decades. Where a person's own gametes do not provide adequate chances of conception, treatment using donor eggs or donor sperm may significantly improve the likelihood of success.
IVF is therefore a powerful tool, but only one part of a broader range of reproductive options. Determining the most suitable path always requires an individual assessment. You can find the cost of each treatment in our price list.
Myth verdict: FALSE
A previous pregnancy is a positive sign but not a guarantee. Difficulty conceiving after having had a child is called secondary infertility, and its causes are the same as those of primary infertility — age, endometriosis, tubal damage, hormonal changes or altered sperm quality.
Secondary infertility means difficulty conceiving again after a previous pregnancy or birth. It is a common but often overlooked fertility issue.
For women, age is often particularly important because both ovarian reserve and egg quality change over time. Male fertility can also decline with age and other health-related factors. Fertility should therefore be considered dynamic rather than fixed, even among people who previously conceived without difficulty.
If pregnancy does not occur despite regular unprotected intercourse for a year — or six months if the woman is over 35 — a fertility assessment can help identify possible underlying causes.
Myth verdict: FALSE
There is no convincing scientific evidence that staying on your back or raising your legs after intercourse improves the chance of pregnancy. Gravity plays a very limited role — the most viable sperm reach the cervix within minutes.
The question has been examined in several randomised trials with conflicting results. A Dutch trial published in the BMJ in 2009 (391 couples) found a higher ongoing pregnancy rate among women who remained lying down for 15 minutes after insemination. When the question was revisited in a larger multicentre trial in Human Reproduction in 2017 (498 couples), the effect could not be confirmed — pregnancy rates were no higher among those who rested than among those who got up immediately.
Some semen and sperm naturally leak out after intercourse, regardless of whether you remain lying down or stand up. This does not mean the sperm are lost. The most viable sperm begin travelling toward the cervix almost immediately after ejaculation. Healthy sperm can reach the cervix within minutes and then continue through the uterus and fallopian tubes.
The female reproductive system is biologically designed to support sperm movement without requiring any special position afterwards. For those trying to conceive, timing intercourse during the fertile window is far more important than body position. The same applies to insemination performed at a clinic.
Myth verdict: FALSE
Men produce sperm throughout life, but sperm quality, sperm production and overall fertility gradually decline with age. The change usually becomes noticeable around age 40 and happens more gradually than in women.
The difference between female and male fertility is substantial. Women typically experience a noticeable decline after age 35, with a more significant reduction after 40. In men, fertility declines more gradually, often becoming noticeable around age 40.
As men age, the body's ability to repair cellular and tissue damage decreases, and blood flow to the testes may become less efficient. This affects both sperm production and sperm quality. Testosterone levels also decline gradually with age, and testosterone plays an important role in maintaining healthy sperm production.
These four parameters are exactly what a semen analysis measures.
As paternal age increases, the proportion of sperm carrying genetic abnormalities also rises, which may reduce the likelihood of successful fertilisation. Research has shown that it can take longer to achieve pregnancy when the male partner is older, even when female fertility is normal.
Advanced paternal age has also been associated with a higher risk of miscarriage and certain genetic conditions in offspring. Fertility treatments for male infertility also tend to have lower success rates at older ages, particularly after age 50.
This does not mean men cannot become fathers later in life. Many men have children at older ages, but it is important to recognise that male fertility changes over time.
There is an abundance of fertility information online, but not all of it is supported by scientific evidence. Understanding how age, ovulation, egg quality, sperm quality and lifestyle affect fertility helps you make more informed decisions about family planning and reproductive health.
Understanding your fertility is about more than getting pregnant. It is about knowledge, confidence, and the ability to make informed decisions about your reproductive health, today and in the future.
At Ovumia we help women, men and couples understand the factors that influence fertility. If you are struggling to conceive or want to understand your future options, a fertility assessment gives concrete answers — the earlier potential issues are identified, the greater the opportunity to find the right treatment. Contact us and we will find the right starting point for your situation.
Sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to five days under favourable conditions. An egg can only be fertilised for about 12–24 hours after ovulation.
During the fertile window — the five days before ovulation plus the day of ovulation. The chance is highest on the two days closest to ovulation.
Fertility declines gradually through life, with a clearer decline from around age 35 and a more marked reduction after 40. Both ovarian reserve and egg quality change over time. A fertility assessment gives an individual picture.
They refer to the same condition. Currently, there are no changes to the diagnostic criteria, but the hope is that the new terminology will improve understanding among both healthcare professionals and the wider public.
Difficulty conceiving again after a previous pregnancy or birth. The causes are the same as in primary infertility: age, endometriosis, tubal damage, hormonal changes or altered sperm quality.
Yes. Sperm concentration, motility, genetic quality and the proportion of normally shaped sperm are all gradually affected, usually becoming noticeable from around age 40.
After one year of regular unprotected intercourse without pregnancy, or after six months if the woman is over 35. With known endometriosis, PCOS/PMOS, irregular ovulation or recurrent miscarriage it is sensible to investigate earlier.
Medically reviewed by: Balsam Haseeb, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology [Ovumia Sweden] · Last updated 23/09/2026
