Folklore or truth? The role of orgasm in conceiving

Choice Chat

One woman on the Choice Mom discussion group asked if anyone knew whether it was true that orgasm helps sperm get where you want it to go. Another woman on the board found feedback about this question on several websites, including this excerpt from Medicinenet.com:

"Two British biologists, Robin Baker and Mark Bellis, tested the so-called upsuck hypothesis. They were building upon ideas articulated by evolutionary biologist Robert Smith, who suggested that since women don't have orgasms every time out, female orgasm favors some sperm over others. They sought to learn how female orgasms might affect which of a lover's sperm is used to fertilize a woman's eggs.

The team counted sperm from over 300 instances of human copulation. They discovered that when a woman climaxes any time between a minute before to 45 minutes after her lover ejaculates, she retains significantly more sperm than she does after nonorgasmic sex. The teams' results indicated that muscular contractions associated with orgasm pull sperm from the vagina to the cervix, where it's in better position to reach an egg.

Baker and Bellis proposed that by manipulating the occurrence and timing of orgasm, via subconscious processes, women influence the probability of conception."

Q: I've heard that having sex (more importantly an orgasm) before and/or after an ICI, IUI or at-home insemination can help facilitate delivery of the sperm. Does having an orgasm increase the odds of conceiving?

Ashby: It is unclear - it hasn't been studied. It's part of what I call this whole realm of folklore on what will increase your fertility. One patient told me she had read that using egg whites as a lubricant would increase her fertility. A lot of this is just not true.

Redmond: Physiologically, orgasm does not affect sperm transport. I think we would have died out as a species if procreation required female compliance and pleasure. On the other hand, there would be far fewer children conceived from rape and in loveless partnerships. And none conceived from insemination or embryo transfer. So there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that enjoyment and conception are not linked.

Kim: I am not aware of any scientific studies comparing pregnancy rates with or without orgasm. It makes sense to me that orgasm might help natural conception. Conception requires the meeting of sperm and egg. The uterine contractions that occur with orgasm could help draw sperm into the cervical mucous and also help propel the sperm upwards in the uterus towards the tube, where fertilization takes place. However for IUI, since the sperm is already injected through the cervix, I don't think orgasm would offer a benefit.

Sims: In evolutionary terms, it might provide incentive for repeat attempts but is unlikely to affect the outcome of insemination. This is a personal issue, not a medical one.