7 Things To Know About Sperm-Friendly Fertility Lubricants When TTC

Lube Can Make Baby-Making Sex More Comfortable

Lubricants can help make sex more comfortable and enjoyable and may be more necessary when trying to conceive. That's because planned baby-making sex tends to be less romantic, less spontaneous, and more of a chore, according to Peter Rizk, MD, an OB-GYN and fertility expert for Fairhaven Health in Middletown, Connecticut.

Researchers have found that lubricants can help by:

• Making sex with vaginal dryness more comfortable
• Making sex with dyspareunia (pain during penetrative sex) more comfortable
• Making anal sex more comfortable
• Increasing sexual pleasure and enjoyment

"Complicating matters further, some fertility medications cause vaginal dryness, making it almost a necessity for people on fertility meds to use a lubricant during sex," he adds.

Many Lubricants Harm Sperm

When choosing a lubricant, you usually need to follow just a few specific requirements, like no parabens or added fragrances.

But the stakes are higher when trying to conceive, says Dr. Rizk, and using the wrong lubricant can jeopardize the process. Lubes that aren't specifically geared for fertility may contain ingredients and have a pH that is harmful to sperm, he adds.

In fact, research shows that most vaginal lubes are "sperm toxic" and can significantly reduce sperm motility (sperm's ability to swim) by as much as 49%.

There Are Sperm-Friendly Fertility Lubricants

But not all lubes are off-limits when you're trying to get pregnant. When trying to conceive, always look for a sperm-friendly lubricant. These lubes often have "fertility" in the name.

These can provide a protective environment for sperm as it makes its way through the reproductive tract, says Dr. Rizk. "These lubricants also mimic the consistency and viscosity of cervical mucus, making it a great match for sperm."

Even so, researchers have found that compared to controls (no lube), sperm-friendly lube still caused significant reductions in sperm forward progression. That study oddly found that raw egg whites did not have this effect and could be used as an all-natural fertility lubricant.

However, this is a pretty messy option that most people probably won't find especially sexy. Plus, salmonella, anyone? For this reason, you probably want to avoid using raw egg whites.

Sperm-Friendly Fertility Lubes Must Meet Some Requirements

Lubricants marketed as "sperm-friendly" or "fertility-friendly" must be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being sold. According to Dr. Rizk, they must also be water-based and tested to ensure they fit the following requirements:

• They must be pH neutral (pH 7) and not interfere with fertile cervical mucus and semen. ("The box should either list the pH value or state that the product is pH matched to cervical mucus," Dr. Rizk says.)
• They can't interfere with human sperm motility, survival, integrity, or embryo development.
• They must allow sperm to swim into and through the lubricant.
• They must be safe for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility methods.
• They must always have low levels of endotoxins (toxins produced by bacteria that can harm sperm and egg function).

Some "Fertility Lubricants" Contain Questionable Ingredients

While you'll want to stick to fertility-friendly lubricants when you're trying to conceive, you'll also still want to read the ingredients list before buying. Note that many "fertility lubricants" contain parabens, which have been linked to endocrine disruption.

Dr. Rizk recommends avoiding glycerol, parabens, and "organic" or "natural" lubricants, which are not cleared by the FDA. Finally, don't make the mistake of confusing a non-spermicidal lubricant with a fertility lubricant.

Lube Isn't Always Necessary When TTC

Fertility lubricants don't promise to make conception easier, says Dr. Rizk. But they probably won't hurt either. Each couple can decide for themselves whether to use a sperm-friendly lubricant. But if you experience vaginal dryness, it may be worth a try.

Avoid Using Other Oils Instead of Lube

You may have heard that oils can double as lube, but don't follow this advice. "Household oils might contain toxic peroxides and inflammatory chemicals due to exposure to light and storage at room temperature," says Dr. Rizk.

Coconut oil can temporarily relieve vaginal dryness and discomfort but can interfere with your vagina's natural self-cleaning process. In one study that compared commercially available lubricants with coconut oil, all products except for coconut significantly inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli bacteria.

In addition, oils not intended as personal lubricants could lead to irritation and create a difficult-to-clean mess. So, it's best to stick to the products made for the purpose.