CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Top 4 Sex Position Myths

If you’re trying to conceive — and you’ve let the cat out of the bag — you’ve probably heard your share of “tips” for having sex that will really make a baby. But there’s some advice you just shouldn’t believe — and some of the biggest ones have to do with sex positions.
save article
profile picture of Elena Donovan Mauer
Updated January 30, 2017
Hero Image
Image: Getty Images / The Bump
4 slides
1
Image: Thinkstock / The Bump

Myth #1: Missionary is the only position to use

Some people will tell you that doing it missionary style (with the man on top) will make you more likely to get pregnant. As the theory goes, the vagina slants downward the cervix when you’re in this position, so gravity will be on your side. And it’s worth it to try. But don’t worry too much about sticking to the old standby — sperm are pretty fast swimmers and they know how to reach their destination.

2
Image: Jupiter / The Bump

Myth #2: You definitely shouldn’t be on top

For the same reason people recommend missionary, they believe it’s impossible to conceive if a woman is upright. But no one really knows if that’s true — and the experts say position probably really doesn’t matter. “There is no research on whether certain sexual positions are more likely to result in conception,” says Jean Twenge, author of The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant.

Sex is sex — and your vagina is a warm, thriving environment in which sperm can live for a day or two (or as long as a week!) and make it to your fallopian tubes within one minute. Do it at the right time of your cycle, and you’ve already boosted your ability to get pregnant. Remember: Your partner’s sperm might have around 100,000 million sperm in it, and you only need one to fertilize the egg.

If you’re really worried about gravity, try lying with your knees bent and pelvis tilted backwards after sex, to hold the semen in a bit, recommend The Mommy Docs (Allison Hill, MD; Yvonne Bohn, MD; and Alane Park, MD), ob-gyns in practice in Los Angeles, California. They explain this method hasn’t been proven either, and the exact amount of time to you should do it isn’t clear. But like many other conception tricks, it’s worth a shot.

3
Image: Getty Images / The Bump

Myth #3: Use the position where you’re most likely to have an orgasm

We’re not saying this is a bad idea (by all means, do it — it will make the whole process way more fun), but while some experts believe an orgasm pushes the semen up higher into the vagina, it’s not a proven method. “One study found that the little swimmers found their way just fine [without orgasm],” says Twenge. “Female orgasm moving things along would also require simultaneous orgasm, and that’s found a lot more often in romance novels than real life.”

Of course, there’s something else to be said for having the big O. “The more you enjoy yourself, the more likely you’re going to be doing it often enough to improve your chances of conception,” say The Mommy Docs.

4
Image: Getty Images / The Bump

Myth #4: Do it doggy style to conceive a boy

Your partner might be more excited about practicing this theory than you are. One author, Dr. Landrum  Shettles has a theory about determining your baby’s gender before conception. He believes that if you have “deep penetration”, which can be taken to mean doggy style, and time sex as close to  ovulation as possible, you can increase your chances of conceiving a boy. But if you’re interested in buying blue onesies, sorry: even though Shettles claims the method worked for him, other studies haven’t backed up his theory.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

10 Common Fertility Myths — Busted!

Sex Ed for Babymaking

Timing Sex to Get Pregnant

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

couple smiling in bed together
Is There a Best Sex Position to Get Pregnant? Here Are 8 to Try
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
happy couple embracing in bed
Baby-Making Sex: the 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions, Answered
Medically Reviewed by Kendra Segura, MD
African American couple embracing outside.
8 Ways to Keep the Sex Hot While You're Trying to Conceive
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
ADVERTISEMENT
Q&A: Effects of Lubricants on Getting Pregnant?
Q&A: Effects of Lubricants on Getting Pregnant?
By The Bump Editors
What Is the Whelan Method?
What Is the Whelan Method?
By Wayne S. Maxson, MD, medical director, reproductive endocrinologist, and founder, IVF Florida Reproductive Associates
Q&A: Getting Pregnant: Keeping Sex Fun?
Q&A: Getting Pregnant: Keeping Sex Fun?
By Paula Kashtan
Q&A: Timing Sex to Get Pregnant?
Q&A: Timing Sex to Get Pregnant?
By Paula Kashtan
ADVERTISEMENT
Pile of candy hearts with messaging, center one reading LOL.
5 Ways to Ruin the Mood While Trying to Conceive
By Elena Donovan Mauer
Fertility-Friendly Lubes: Do They Really Help?
Fertility-Friendly Lubes: Do They Really Help?
By Claire Coghlan
woman sitting at home thinking while holding a coffee mug
Am I Ready for a Baby? 8 Questions to Ask Yourself
By Yelena Moroz Alpert
ADVERTISEMENT
Reanna Murray and partner with baby
Overcoming Barriers and Bias on Our Path to Parenthood
By Reanna Murray
celebrity Tiffany Haddish at an event
Tiffany Haddish Reveals Heartbreaking Reason She’s Afraid to Become a Mom
By Nehal Aggarwal
pizza pie with someone taking a slice
PSA to Men Who Are TTC: Put Down the Junk Food
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
https://www.instagram.com/annalucydecinque/
The 'World's Most Identical Twins' Want to Get Pregnant and Have Kids With the Same Man
By Stephanie Grassullo
couple gazes into each other's eyes with body of water in the background
How One Couple Trying to Conceive Finds Hope After Miscarriage
By Stephanie Grassullo
family looking at pregnant mother's belly
Dad's Age Affects the Health of Mom and Baby, Study Says
By Stephanie Grassullo
back of woman with blue hair solemnly walking outside
All That Stress May Be Hurting Your Chance of Getting Pregnant, Study Finds
By Stephanie Grassullo
ADVERTISEMENT
Why Women Who Are Struggling to Conceive Should Never Hide It
Why Women Who Are Struggling to Conceive Should Never Hide It
By Leslie Goldman
Talking About TTC
Talking About TTC
By Elena Donovan Mauer
4 Special Ways to Stay Close With Your Partner While Trying to Get Pregnant
4 Special Ways to Stay Close With Your Partner While Trying to Get Pregnant
By Andrea Wolloff
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List