Most common gynecological myths

1. Myth: If I want to have a baby I should have sex when I’m ovulating

TRUTH: Most women think, incorrectly, that intercourse should be timed after ovulation however to maximise your chances of conception you should be having sex right before you ovulate.

2. Myth: Standing on my head will increase my chance of getting pregnant

TRUTH: Many women think that they can increase their chances of conceiving by standing on their head or elevating their legs after intercourse. But sperm are highly motile and standing on your head, or any other positions post-intercourse, will do nothing to improve the chances of pregnancy.

3. Myth: It takes three months after stopping birth control to be fertile

TRUTH: Despite this popular myth, as soon as a woman is not using a contraceptive method, she is fertile. It can take up to one year to conceive but as far as the pill is concerned, a woman is fertile as soon as she stops taking it.

4. Myth: A ‘fishy’ vaginal odor is normal.

TRUTH: The odor may be the result of bacterial vaginitis (BV), a condition more common and more serious than yeast infections. If untreated, BV can lead to infertility or pregnancy complications, including pre-term birth. Symptoms of BV include a discharge, fishy odor and perhaps itching, which women often mistake for a yeast infection. If you have symptoms of what you think may be a yeast infection, it is still important to get it checked out. Antibiotics are necessary to effectively treat BV.

5. Myth: You can get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from toilet seats.

TRUTH: STDs are transmitted through sexual contact. This means skin-to-skin contact or exchange of bodily fluids. Keep in mind that most organisms that cause STDs cannot survive outside the body for too long. Even on the small chance a microbe survived, a woman would have to make genital contact with the toilet seat to get infected.

6. Myth: I can’t eat spicy food during my period.

TRUTH: The food we eat plays such a vital role in every aspect of our lives due to that it is often thought to influence several bodily functions and organ systems including the menstrual cycle. Some women think that eating certain foods can alter or hasten the end of their period, but the truth is that menstrual cycles are controlled by hormones. The effect of eating spicy food is likely mental rather than physiological.

7. Myth: Certain foods and sex induce labor.

TRUTH: When that time is coming, there is certainly nothing wrong with eating spicy food or getting intimate with your partner, however there is no proof that this speeds up the labor process. Do whatever feels good and takes your mind off the contractions, but don’t expect any wacky tricks to actually speed up the process.