Your Guide For A Child t July 2022 16 MYTH 6: ALCOHOL BOOSTS YOUR CHANCE OF PREGNANCY Getting a nice buzz on can loosen your inhibitions which, in turn, can lead to greater amounts of crazy hot sex. And greater amounts of crazy hot sex during ovulation can, in- deed, lead to more baby-having. But excessive alcohol consumption has actually been shown to decrease fer- tility in women, because it affects the body’s ability to absorb zinc, a vital nutrient for healthy sperm. MYTH 7: SWALLOWING SEMEN WILL MAKE YOU MORE FERTILE Last year, a study showed that semen is actually an antidepressant. Not only that, but a man’s ejaculate also contains proteins and other nutrients. To date, there has been no study that shows swallowing semen has any effect on your ability to get pregnant. MYTH 8: EATING YAMS WILL LEAD TO MULTIPLES Back in 2001, researchers struggled to figure out why those living in the African village of Igbo-Ora had such a high rate of twin births. The only cultural difference they observed was that res- idents had a thing for yams. This correlation, however, is still con- sidered suspect. Either way, yams are good for you, and good health can contribute to higher levels of fertility. MYTH 9: BEING ON THE PILL CAN HAVE LASTING EFFECTS In reality, those who toss their birth control pills only have to wait a few weeks before they start ovulating again. And the same is true for other forms of birth control. Though the recovery time varies depending upon your previous method of birth control, it doesn’t vary by much. In fact, studies show that within one year after stopping the Pill, 80 percent of women who tried to get pregnant succeeded. MYTH 10: IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD When I confided in an acquaintance that my husband and I were trying to have a baby, he smiled, and said, “There is no try. There’s only making love.” As someone struggling with infertility, it was infuriating and insulting to be told that the problem was psycho- logical, and that I should just relax. Infertility is an actual medical condition of the re- productive system. Stress can result from struggles with infertility … not cause it.