Misconception: You Have to Have Sex in the Missionary Position

email| print| share

MYTH: You have to have sex in the missionary position (man on top), and then the woman has to keep her hips elevated for half an hour afterwards, in order for conception to occur.

FACT: There have been no definitive studies linking sexual positions with success at conceiving. Some doctors do recommend that couples try the missionary position, because it allows for deeper penetration, which deposits the semen (and sperm) closer to the cervix. And some advise women to lie with their hips on a pillow (or feet in the air) afterwards, so that the sperm don’t have to fight gravity to reach the cervix. A rear-entry position also gets sperm closer to the cervix, especially in women with a tipped uterus. By that thinking, sex with the woman on top, or sitting or standing positions, would make conception less likely. But babies have been conceived in all sexual positions, and sperm are designed to swim—upwards, against gravity. Far more important than how you have sex is when you do. If there’s no egg ready for fertilization, nothing will happen no matter what position you try.

Reader Faves

Are you an impatient woman?

If so, Dr. Jean Twenge's brand-new book is for you. Dr. Twenge has written "The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant," and shares some of her best advice in the first of our two-part interview with her. (Check back on April 23 for part two!)
How to Save Money on Fertility Drugs

The cost of fertility medications can force many couples to question whether they can continue infertility treatment. But there are ways to save, and...
Coping With The Feelings of Miscarriage

A noted poet, professor, and essay writer describes the loss of her first pregnancy. Now, years later, this mother of two happy, healthy children...
The Conceive Conversation: Dr. Randine Lewis

As author of The Infertility Cure and The Way of the Fertile Soul, Randine Lewis, Ph.D., L.Ac., has been a pioneer in introducing eastern medicine to western couples to help them become parents.

Quick Poll

Displaying 1 - 5 of 15 stories

Pregnancy Envy

You’ve only been trying for a few months, but you’re already starting to get annoyed rather than excited when you see a pregnant woman. Or you’ve been trying a lot longer. . . and you can’t even bear to look. Here’s how to get over it until it’s your turn.
What to Expect From Your First Visit to a Fertility Clinic

Eileen Garvin of Susanville, California, became a client of a fertility clinic the way most women do—she was referred there by her ob/gyn.
Negotiating Time Off for Fertility Treatments and Adoption

Everyone knows about maternity leave, but sometimes women need to take time off before a baby arrives. If you’re having fertility treatments or trying to adopt, here’s what you should know to get the time off you need. Whether—and when—to tell your boss that you’re undergoing fertility treatments or arranging an adoption depends a lot on your relationship with your supervisor. While most workplace experts caution against revealing too much personal information, how do you explain being late for work because of blood tests and ultrasounds, and then needing to get home for hormone injections? Or what if you must travel abroad to bring home a baby, and then want three months to bond with your adopted child?
How to Choose a Fertility Center

In an effort to attract patients and compete against the more-than 400 fertility centers providing IVF nationwide, fertility clinics today routinely...
IVF 101: In Vitro Fertilization Explained

As kids, we all learned about the birds and the bees. But we probably didn’t learn enough about fertility to know how babies can be conceived when nature doesn’t work perfectly.
Generous Donations: Egg Donors and Surrogates

When a couple is having trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy, sometimes a “third party” is enlisted to help. These women—egg donors and surrogates—are giving one of the greatest gifts of all. Find out why they do it.
The 7 Most Common Fertility Drugs

By now you’ve probably heard of Clomid, the most commonly-used fertility drug in the United States. But do you really know how it works and what the possible side effects can be? If fertility drugs are your next step in the attempt to get pregnant, then here is a quick rundown of the seven medications your doctor is most likely to prescribe.
Infertility: Dealing With the Diagnosis

No one wants to hear a doctor utter the dreaded word “infertility.” But couples can use the diagnosis as an opportunity to learn the skills they...