First thing's first: from a conception standpoint, it is perfectly safe to have sex while ovulating if you also have a cold or the flu. Conceiving while ill does not increase risks to the pregnancy. Of course, if you are not feeling well enough to have sex, don't force yourself.
Sometimes this means you will have your period earlier, sometimes later, but of course you should never count on an illness preventing ovulation. Assume any cycle, no matter how sick you are, will result in ovulation and pregnancy is a possibility.
In some cases, fevers can even disrupt the release of an egg during ovulation and prevent pregnancy from occurring. Additionally, research has found that exposure to higher temperatures over a prolonged period of time can reduce ovarian function and fertility potential in women.
Understanding the Illness: Cold and flu are viral infections and have no direct impact on the embryo or the IVF process. But a high fever could potentially affect implantation post embryo transfer, so it's crucial to keep a watchful eye.
Can getting sick affect my fertility? Yes, it's certainly possible. Illnesses with fever can temporarily, but significantly, affect your fertility. This may especially be true for people who already have low sperm count or motility, as any additional decrease can further impact chances of conceiving.
Having a cold during pregnancy will not harm the fetus, and a person can still use various medications to help ease symptoms. However, they should check first with a doctor, as some remedies may not be suitable at this time.
14. You can't catch the common cold from semen alone, but you can get some other sexually transmitted diseases.
Screen for underlying health conditions – Sometimes underlying health conditions can prevent an embryo from implanting. These can include uterine problems, hormonal issues, thyroid problems, diabetes, and many others. Even a prior infection can cause implantation troubles.
Also, what some people consider "implantation symptoms" might actually be premenstrual symptoms. Some examples are sore breasts, nausea, darkening of the areolas, fatigue, headaches, bloating, mood swings, a metallic taste in the mouth, and changes in appetite, says Dr. Acevedo. How Long Does Implantation Take?
Sneezing and coughing do not affect embryo implantation as the embryo is cushioned inside the uterus and burrows into the bed of the uterus. It does not float freely in the uterus.
Pregnant women who get the flu are more likely than women who don't get it to have preterm labor (labor that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and preterm birth (birth that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Abnormal immune function will work against your attempts to conceive, and significantly increase your risk for miscarriage. Both issues must be treated by your physician. It wouldn't make much sense to encourage conception through fertility treatment, only to miscarry after, so the approach is two-tiered.
Pass it on: The immune system lets down its guard when a female is ovulating, to let a sperm survive in the reproductive tract. As a side effect, ovulating females are more prone to infections from yeast, bacteria and viruses.
Paracetamol and fertility
There's no good evidence to suggest that taking paracetamol will reduce fertility in either men or women.
Once the sperm enters the reproductive system, it can take about 30-45 minutes to reach the egg. For this, it is important to have a healthy sperm which has the right kind of motility to reach the egg and fertilize it. Once inside the body of a woman, a healthy sperm can live up to 2-5 days.
During the two-week wait, it's better to err on the side of caution. Avoid having a drink, smoking, or any other activity that could be harmful to a brand new pregnancy. It's fine to continue exercising if you already have a workout routine, but now might not be the time to take up a new, intense form of exercise.
Certain lifestyle habits may create an environment that supports implantation. This includes eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and checking your progesterone. Progesterone medications are often prescribed for women undergoing IVF treatments. This increases the chances of successful implantation.
You can spread the common cold from a few days before your symptoms appear until all of the symptoms are gone. Most people will be contagious for up to 2 weeks. Symptoms are usually worse during the first 2 to 3 days, and this is when you're most likely to spread the virus.
High fever characteristic to influenza may affect sperm chromatin structure, a tightly wound formation of protein and DNA in sperm cells, leading to the production of abnormal sperm.