When a couple decides to try for a baby , there are a number of weird and wonderful things might be told to do to improve their chances of getting pregnant.
From taking supplements to ramping up your sex life , there are all sorts of tips and tricks out there.
But there’s one in particular some women are claiming worked miracles when it came to conceiving a child – and it involves a common household item.
You probably have this very thing in your cupboard right now.
We’re talking, of course, about cough medicine.
According to parenting experts at BabyCentre , most cough medicines contain an ingredient guaifenesin which is what might help you get pregnant.
They said: "Guaifenesin thins mucus in your airways, making it easier for you to cough up phlegm. And, because guaifenesin works on all the mucus membranes in your body, it may make your cervical mucus more wet and loose too.
"If you don’t produce much wet, slippery mucus around ovulation time, your partner’s sperm may not reach your cervix. The theory is that having looser, thinner cervical mucus may help the sperm to reach your egg."
They recommend opting for a cough medicine in which the only active ingredient is guaifenesin and to start taking it just before you’re due to ovulate.
However they are quick to clarify that while "some women do say it worked for them" there is actually "very little" in the way of medical evidence to support this theory.
In 1982 one study was carried out on women with fertility problems, using guaifenesin to thin cervical mucus.
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There was also a case in 2010 , in which guaifenesin was given to a male who had been trying to conceive with his wife for 18 months. At the end of the trial, researchers saw an improvement in his sperm in terms of sperm count and motility.
While it could help improve fertility, cough medicines also contain various other ingredients which could be harmful, so BabyCentre advise that you speak to your doctor before taking anything.
"It’s generally advisable not to take medicines unless it’s strictly necessary, just in case you conceive. If you’ve been trying to conceive for a while, you may want to talk to your doctor, anyway," they added.
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