There are many different things that can have an effect on whether or not you can conceive. Some of those issues are medical in nature. A woman with PCOS might have trouble conceiving, for example. A man with a low sperm count or low sperm motility might have trouble, too. Medical issues, however, aren’t the only things that can affect your ability to conceive.

There are a hundred little choices and factors that can affect your odds of conception. Some are important, and some aren’t. Some don’t really come into play unless other problems are present, too. One of those little things that can affect your odds of conception is using personal lubricant, or lube, during sex.

Lube can be toxic to sperm, you see. On top of their potentially negative effect on sperm, personal lube during sex can also interfere with the effectiveness of your cervical mucus. The cervical mucus helps to protect the sperm as it travels, keeping it safe from the sometimes harsh environment of the vagina. When a couple uses personal lube during sex, the chemicals in that lube can negatively impact your odds of getting pregnant by interfering and keeping the sperm from reaching the cervical mucus.

In an ideal world, a woman’s own secretions will be sufficient lubrication for when a couple has sex. In some situations, simply increasing the amount of foreplay before intercourse will sufficiently increase the lubrication situation. As a woman gets older, however, she tends to get dryer, and some women are relatively dry in general.

There are some lubricants that are thought to be more “friendly” to conception. These lubricants are designed to actually mimic the function of cervical mucus, actually helping the sperm to travel through the vagina’s harsh environment and get to an egg.

If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, talk to your health care provider. There may be other factors, besides the use of lube during sex, that are hurting your odds of conception.

Similar Posts:

• Stress and Fertility
• Why Do I Need Cervical Mucus?
• How Can I Optimize My Cervical Mucus for Conception?
• What Medications Can Interfere with Cervical Mucus?

This entry was posted under Getting Pregnant.