Fertility Issues Are Not Resolved Through Sexual Positions
One of the more prevalent articles seen in magazine oriented towards a female readership are articles specifically dealing with the topic of fertility and pregnancy. It is often the case that these articles give recommendations related to proper sexual positions as a means of addressing fertility issues or to bring about a greater likelihood of getting pregnant. The problem with this perspective is that fertility issues are not resolved through sexual positions.
Biology versus Positioning
People seem to assume that sexual intercourse is all that is needed when it comes to getting pregnant and that difficulties experienced in conceiving are likely due to a lack of sufficient sexual interaction or improper positioning to ensure that sperm reaches the ovum. The problem with this way of thinking is that it neglects to take into consideration the biological factors that can cause issues when it comes to conception (Peng 175).
For instance, vaginal acidity levels are something that most people do not even consider or even know about, yet it plays a crucial role in determining how likely a person is in getting pregnant. The higher the levels of acidity in the vaginal canal, the lower the likelihood someone has in getting pregnant (Glover, McLellan, and Weaver 402). This is due to sperm not being able to survive in a highly acidic environment.
There are also issues with a woman’s hormones to take into consideration. Even if a woman is menstruating, which is indicative of their potential to get pregnant, abnormal hormone levels within a woman’s body can cause issues when it comes to the density of the uterine wall or even the viability of the eggs that are released (Brown and Guinnane 513). Aside from this, there also potential issues when it comes to a man’s fertility that need to be taken into consideration (Barry 606).
There is always the possibility that the sperm a man produces is abnormal (i.e. slow swimmers) which causes them to not reach the female ovum at all. Male infertility is often one of the primary reasons why some couples cannot get pregnant (Kemnitz and Thum 225). These are only a few of the plethora of biological factors that can influence the potential for pregnancy and, as such, shows that proper sexual positioning cannot help someone if biological factors are the primary cause behind their fertility issues.
Potential Harm Caused by these Articles
The problem with these articles is that they are written from a woefully unscientific perspective. They imply that proper positioning, the regularity of intercourse, and the performance of the parties involved are all that is needed to get pregnant. A lot of the articles fail even to mention the potential for biological irregularities being the primary source of the problem. This can be the origin of a considerable amount of conflict between couples who are trying the recommended positions of the articles and are getting nothing out of it (Kjaer 271). As such, this shows the need for proper article investigation.
Works Cited
Barry, Jane. “Prolactin And Aggression In Women With Fertility Problems.” Journal Of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 34.7 (2014): 605-610. Print.
Brown, John C., and Timothy W. Guinnane. “Regions And Time In The European Fertility Transition: Problems In The Princeton Project’S Statistical Methodology.” Economic History Review 60.3 (2007): 513-544. Print.
Glover, Lesley, Ashleigh McLellan, and Susan M. Weaver. “What Does Having A Fertility Problem Mean To Couples?.” Journal Of Reproductive & Infant Psychology 27.4 (2009): 401-418. Print.
Kemnitz, Alexander, and Marcel Thum. “Gender Power, Fertility, And Family Policy.” Scandinavian Journal Of Economics 117.1 (2015): 220-247. Print.
Kjaer, Trille. “Divorce Or End Of Cohabitation Among Danish Women Evaluated For Fertility Problems.” Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica 93.3 (2014): 269-276. Print.
Peng, Tao. “Testing The Psychometric Properties Of Mandarin Version Of The Fertility Problem Inventory (M-FPI) In An Infertile Chinese Sample.” Journal Of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology 32.4 (2011): 173-181. Print.