Can Orgasming Increase Your Fertility?

If you’ve been trying to conceive, you’ve probably heard every little myth about how to increase fertility. You may have heard that certain foods might boost sperm production in men. You might have heard that certain sex positions are more likely to increase your chances of conceiving, and that even doing things like going to warmer climates might boost your shots. Most of those tips you hear are myths, but not all of them. One of the most pervasive myths is that female orgasms increase fertility, and some scientists are suggesting that there may be more to this advice than just hot air. Here’s the truth behind the idea that orgasms increase fertility.

The idea that female orgasms increase the chances of fertility actually are very old. Some historians believe that this may have been an idea started by the church in order to help get more soldiers during the crusades, or that it may have had even earlier roots in Ancient Rome. So, for many years, the de-facto advice given to men who wanted kids was to please her harder!

Much of the “physical” reasoning behind it sounds pretty valid. The idea many people have is that the uterine contractions during orgasm “sucks up” the sperm and helps carry it closer to the egg. It sounds pretty understandable and realistic, if you think of a uterus like a sucky, vacuum-y thing during sex.

This advice is so ingrained in society that there have been multiple studies on the matter. And there is some evidence before and against it - much of it being very surprising to both doctors and patients that are trying to conceive. Here’s what you need to know about each study.

The “up suck” theory doesn’t hold much clout according to studies… According to a study performed by a research term based out of Brisbane, there really isn’t much proof that there’s an correlation between orgasm and conception. And, there’s also not much proof that the up-suck theory works in the way people assume that it would.

But some of this old school conception reasoning may have some clout. Though the movements are subtle, the uterus does do quite a bit of work in terms of movement. And, there’s nothing saying that movement may not do some work to help a woman conceive…at least, if it’s well-timed.

During orgasm, what usually happens is that the uterus does shift a little bit. According to fertility expert Dr. Sheri Winston, “When a woman is aroused, the uterus picks itself up and moves forward…And, during orgasm it bounces up and down.” So, it does help “jiggle” sperm around.

According to Dr. Winston, who does believe that orgasm can help women make babies, it’s not the uterus doing the sucking. You know what else moves during a female orgasm? The cervix. She said, “I realized that the missing piece was orgasm. During orgasm, the cervix moves up and down, sucking all that semen up.”

But, even with all the sucking and negative pressure a female orgasm can offer, there’s something to be said about those little swimmers. Sperm can fertilize an egg even if she doesn’t have an orgasm. After all, good sperm can swim really far, really fast, and find the egg. As long as there’s an egg and a sperm, there will be a chance of pregnancy.

So, maybe the “up suck” theory can’t really be proven by statistics because of that little issue… That doesn’t mean that doctors don’t believe it can’t help. However, there have been other studies that show that orgasm and arousal do have a major impact on the chances of a woman conceiving early.

However, Dr. Andrew Orr of Brisbane had a bit to say on the subject, too. According to him, arousal and orgasm do help improve the overall condition an embryo needs in order to be health in a uterus. Specifically, what a good orgasm can do is increase blood supply and hormone production - both things associated with pregnancy.


 And, Dr. Orr also noted that blood supply in the uterus is more important than actually helping sperm out in many cases. He noted that sex in general helps increase blood flow, and climax also helps release oxytocin and prostaglandin - two hormones that are associated with increasing the chance of a successful implantation.

This also happens to be why having sex on the regular can help you regulate your menstrual cycle. Those same hormones have been also shown to make Aunt Flo’s visit more regular, which in turn makes it easier to figure out your most fertile days. Did we also mention that regular sex can decrease cramping and improve PMS symptoms?

The bottom line is that orgasm and arousal do increase your chances at conceiving. But at the same time, having the Big O is not the be-all, end-all of conception. You can conceive even if you aren’t aroused. All you need is to have him have an orgasm and ejaculate inside you when an egg is present.

So, if you are having sex, do try to improve the quality of the sex. There’s nothing that doesn’t say it won’t help you conceive. And, if you’re really working on getting a baby inside you, having a nice orgasm may make things a lot more fun.

But, really, the best way to conceive is to have lots and lots of sex. And, sex is a good way to bond with your partner, too. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and have a little fun already!