7 Best Sex Positions To Get Pregnant

Is all sex equally fertile? Experts recommend these pregnancy postures.

You may be thinking about the optimum penis-in-vagina sex position to become pregnant, like many couples attempting to conceive the old-fashioned method. Experts still don't know the solution. "There's not a whole lot of science about which position is best for conception," says Sheryl A. Kingsberg, Ph.D., chief of University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Division of Behavioral Medicine and a professor of reproductive biology and psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

Logistics may be the main difficulty. Dr. Kingsberg believes it's hard to study sexual postures that boost fertility. There are several more variables that impact the likelihood of conception, such as age and time of intercourse (having sex when ovulating increases fertility).

Although unproven, certain sex positions may help make babies.

What Are The Best Sex Positions To Get Pregnant?

These seven sex positions may help you conceive. To ensure sex at your most fertile period, maintain a regular schedule.

Jani Jensen, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist and assistant professor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says, "In studies about frequency of sex, there wasn't a statistical difference between rates of pregnancy for people who have intercourse every other day leading up to ovulation and those who do it every day." "Besides, having it every day might be a major chore."

Missionary

A few pieces of research on coital connections suggest missionary posture may have a little anatomical benefit. The theory: Partner-on-top allows the cervix to dive into the vaginal semen pool, providing sperm access to cervical mucous. "There's no scientific research on that," says Kelly Pagidas, M.D., a fertility expert at Providence's Women & Infants Center for Reproduction and Infertility and Brown Alpert Medical School associate professor.

Additionally, everyone is constructed differently. "Having ladies on their backs makes sense for women who have an anteverted uterus, one that is inclined forward, which is around two-thirds of the population," Dr. Kingsberg says. "But a third of women have a retroverted uterus, inclined backward, so missionary wouldn't help them."

Doggy Style

Some find the missionary style exhausting. "The missionary position is more demanding for the top partner because they have to use their muscles to keep from putting their full weight on you, putting extra pressure on them," says Mindy R. Schiffman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and sex therapist at New York University's Fertility Center and in private practice in NYC.

Couples may try doggie style. This classic sex position has your lover entering you from behind on all fours. It enables semen to enter the cervix deeper.

Reverse Cowgirl

In this sex position, you're on top, facing your partner's feet. To maximize penetration, position your cervix as near as possible to the penis tip during ejaculation.

Side-By-Side Scissors

While laying on their sides, the pair face each other. It's romantic and deep, which may calm baby-making worries.

Rear Entry

Like doggie style, your spouse enters from behind. However, you lay on your stomach as your lover lowers themselves over you. Rear entry guarantees thorough penetration.

Wheelbarrow

Who says baby-making sex can't be adventurous? In this athletic posture, your lover stands behind you, grips your legs, and enters from behind. Again, it facilitates deep penetration and cervix proximity.

Your Favorite Position

The greatest sex position to become pregnant may be your favorite. It doesn't matter whether you're twisted like a Bavarian pretzel or laying motionless as a statue as long as your partner's semen goes where it has to be (that is, in the vagina near the cervix).

Better if it has a nail-biting climax! "There were some studies showing a woman's orgasm did help transfer semen into the uterus," Dr. Kingsberg explains. However, not climaxing during penis-in-vagina intercourse shouldn't worry you. "We don't want to put pressure on women to attain orgasm since there's so little research behind it."

How To Improve The Odds Of Conception After Having Sex

Baby-making sex also debates the best postcoital regimen. Some experts recommend lying on your back for 30 minutes after intercourse, while others disagree.

Immobilization after coitus did not improve a European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology research. It found otherwise. 32.2 percent of 479 couples conceived after staying motionless for 15 minutes after intercourse, whereas 40.3 percent conceived while moving. "We also know from past research that sperm may reach the fallopian tube five minutes after intravaginal insemination and that they can survive for many days in the womb," Dr. van Rijswijk, a main author of the peer-reviewed study, stated in a news statement. "Why? An immobilization benefit has no biological rationale."

Why not relax in the afterglow? However, sitting on a cushion or placing your legs up against the wall has not been proven to help. "Once the ejaculate gets inside you, the sperm is already in the cervical mucus, which serves to store sperm for fertilization," Dr. Schiffman adds.

Lubricants may also affect conception. Regular lubrication reduces sperm survival. The National Library of Medicine reports that Astroglide, KY Jelly, and Replens impair sperm motility, making it harder to conceive. In one research, these popular lubricants immobilized sperm for 15 minutes.

Look for things that say "fertility-friendly" or "sperm-friendly" and don't have chemicals that hurt sperm. Lubricants are often made of glycerin, parabens, silicone, Nonoxynol-9 (N-9), propylene glycol, and petroleum.