Life is a really bizarre mystery. What makes it so bizarre is that — and excuse the hippy-dippiness — it's all we really know. While everything is functioning on autopilot and out of our hands, we’re set on manual. Sure, we know how to have sex. Some of us might even be slightly decent at it. But what our bodies do on account of sex is beyond rocket science. Want to know what’s really going on in our bodies during fertilization? Keep reading to find out.
What’s the most surprising fact about fertility that you never knew? Let us know!
What's that smell? When you're ovulating, you're as good as a bloodhound on a duck hunt. Your sense of smell is working overtime, and it's all because of your cycle. No, the trash doesn't smell especially bad today — you're just ovulating. Scientists haven't yet reached a consensus as to why, exactly, this happens.
Freeze. If you want to improve your chances of getting pregnant later on down the road, freezing your eggs is always a possibility. However, if you're going to take this route, get on it ASAP. The sooner you freeze them, the better — and we're talking 20s and 30s early.
Genetics. Whatever your mom dealt with during her pregnancy, it's likely you'll run into similar problems. While some issues may be specific to her situation, genetics can actually cause those problems to reoccur in subsequent generations. It's definitely important to keep this in mind and to have yourself thoroughly evaluated if you're planning to conceive soon.
When you're most fertile. Getting pregnant obviously relies on whether you're ovulating — or does it? Before you even start ovulating, sometimes even a few days before, you're actually at your most fertile. Whether you're trying to get pregnant or want to avoid it altogether, definitely keep this in mind.
His sperm can get greys. OK, so no, his sperm won't actually get grey hair. It doesn't have hair to begin with. But it will age, and it will get weaker and it will need a walking cane. Research shows older men are far more likely than their younger counterparts to conceive children that are later diagnosed with psychiatric issues.
Watch your weight. While conceiving isn't predicated on the perfect build, your future child is certainly counting on a healthy body. When you're overweight (and this applies to both the women and the men), conceiving can be harder than it needs to be. Excess weight lowers the quality of sperm, and heavier women may experience serious issues such as high blood pressure.
The Pill. Your birth control pills can actually aid in your pregnancy, but don't worry — not while you're taking them. Birth control regulates your period. That much is pretty widely known. But did you know that it can also help prevent your chances of uterine and ovarian cancer? This'll significantly lower your chance at birthing complications, according to TheBump.com.
Lightbulbs are your enemy. Even if a woman plans on having a kid 10 years down the road, the more she avoids artificial light, the better chance she has at protecting her eggs. Humans require melatonin — moms especially. Without it, pregnant women have weaker protective forcefields guarding their eggs. Professor of cellular biology, Russell J. Reiter, urges women to stay in the dark for roughly eight hours a night. If they don't, they screw with their internal clock, which screws with their melatonin, which screws with their eggs.
It's not easy counting on your body. Don't give up if you're having trouble conceiving. Even if it's been a year, you're still not out of the running — frustrating though it may be. Dr. Thomas Molinaro points out that you really ought to get yourself checked out before simply giving up.
Watch the lube. A trusty bottle of lubricant might help get the deed done, but when it comes to conception, the substance might actually do more harm than good. It's one thing to get off with some lube for fun, but for pregnancy? It ought to be a no-go zone. According to the director of Andrology Laboratory at the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, lube can actually muck up a man's sperm count. Leave it to natural lubrication when it comes to trying to get a bun in the oven.
Women, brush your teeth. Even though your gums are clearly far from a woman's reproductive system, they're still important. In fact, gum disease can actually prevent women from getting pregnant for two months longer than they might otherwise, according to European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Gum disease inflammation can actually work its way throughout the entire body.
Fertility issues are common. If you're trying conceive, but having a rough time doing so, don't get down on yourself. It's actually very common. Approximately 1 in 8 couples have issues with fertility, according to Resolve.org. It happens, but in most cases, the remedy comes down to different types of medical and nonmedical therapies.
Period problems. In life, it all comes down to who you can count on. When it comes to getting pregnant, that's your period. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, if your periods are inconsistent, or if they don't happen as commonly as they should, you may have conception issues.
Stay in shape — but take it easy. You want to be healthy, but you don't want to overdo it. Binging on anything is generally pretty bad for you, but exercise bingeing can actually mess with your hormones to the point of messing with your eggs, according to reproductive endocrinologist, Sami David. Your body can only handle so much.
Mind over matter. If you want to heighten your chances of getting pregnant, you should consider taking a yoga class. Or, you should at least consider listening to a 10-hour loop of calming music on YouTube. When you're on the pregnancy prowl, focus on mental clarity. According to a study from Harvard, that's when conception is most likely to happen.
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