Many misconceptions abound about the act of getting pregnant and most of them are quite ridiculous. You have to look no further than the most far-fetched and oldest myth of all – the stork brings the baby. Fortunately we can rule that one out easily, but there are plenty of other mis-conception myths to go around. You could say the Internet is pregnant with such erroneous information concerning the simple act of making a baby.
1. “PULL OUT”
The most common myth about conception is that is a man pulls out before ejaculation he cannot get a woman pregnant because no sperm has entered her vagina. However, there is pre-ejaculatory fluid that comes out before a man has ejaculated and this fluid can contain sperm. These sperm can then proceed into the uterus and if they meet with an ovum, a baby can be made.
2. DURING MENSTRUATION
Some women and men think that if a woman is on her period she can’t become pregnant because she just finished her cycle and will not be ovulating for a couple weeks. Though this is rare, it is in fact possible for a woman to have a short cycle, so she can get pregnant even though she is on her period.
3. FIRST TIME
Some people believe that during your first time having sex you cannot get pregnant. In actuality, as long as the women has monthly cycles she can get pregnant even if it is her very first time having sexual intercourse
4. RHYTHM METHOD
The rhythm method is a method of birth control that involves the careful mapping of a woman’s monthly cycle. The belief is that if you avoid intercourse during the days of ovulation, you can avoid pregnancy. However, sperm can live for 3 to 5 days in a woman’s vagina, and ovulation is not always set on the same day from month to month. The rhythm method by itself only has a 35% success rate.
5. GIRL ON TOP
Another popular belief is that if you have sex with the woman on top she cannot become pregnant because gravity will simply make the sperm fall out or render them incapable of swimming upward. Sperm however is very capable little guys and can just as easily swim up with the girl on top as in any other position.
6. DOUCHING
If you wash out the sperm after sex you couldn’t possible get pregnant right? Wrong. Though some of the sperm may be pushed out, many remain. In fact, many sperm become pushed up further into the vagina near the cervix making them even closer to the egg therefore increasing your chance of becoming pregnant.
7. JUMPING JACKS
Though this is good exercise, doing jumping jacks after having sexual intercourse is not an effective method of birth control. Sperm do not fall out; they stay inside and keep swimming. As long as they are anywhere near the vagina, sperm are capable of finding an egg.
8. HOT TUB
Hot tubs are fun for all, but be warned; pregnancy can occur if you have intercourse in a hot tub just as easily as in a bed. Many people believe a “condom” of chlorine and heat kill the sperms, which it will, but all the sperm that stays inside is still perfectly fine and able to connect with an egg and start forming a baby!
9. TWO CONDOMS
Many men believe that if one condom is good, two would be even better. In actuality, two condoms increases the friction between the condoms. This friction then can lead to the rupture of both condoms, so for all those thinking they need a back up, just stick with one.
10. MOUNTAIN DEW
Many people have heard that the soda drink Mountain Dew lowers a man’s sperm count; therefore, if a man is drinking enough of Dew he cannot impregnate a woman. The food coloring dye in Mountain Dew, specifically Yellow 5 is rumored to reduce a man’s sperm production. This however, is totally false. A man can drink 10 bottles of Dew a day, and though he may get a gut from all that sugar, he is still very capable of getting a woman pregnant.
