Why I wish I hadn’t used a lubricant while trying to conceive

Even worse, conventional lubricants can contain ingredients that can be harmful to your unborn child, causing problems ranging from developmental to reproductive toxicity.
Trying to conceive a baby can be scary, exciting, stressful and fun! I remember long nights lying awake wondering if this was the night that I finally got pregnant. Of course, those nights were also full of feelings of fear and worry, followed by excitement again.
I worried that having a baby would change my life too much and that I wouldn’t be a good parent. I worried about the safety of various baby products. But one thing I didn’t think about was what kind of lubricant I was using.
The fact of the matter was that I should have been worrying about lubricants. Conventional lubricants often contain ingredients such as propylene glycol or methylparaben or chemicals derived from petroleum. These ingredients can cause side effects ranging from skin irritation to cancer. Not only are these toxins potentially harmful, they can interfere with your ability to conceive.
Most people know that spermicidal lubricants kill sperm, but even non-spermicidal lubricants can contain ingredients that are toxic to sperm, and even natural lubricants can interfere with sperm’s ability to reach the cervical mucus.
Even worse, conventional lubricants can contain ingredients that can be harmful to your unborn child, causing problems ranging from developmental to reproductive toxicity. The effects of toxins are especially dangerous during the first few weeks of pregnancy, when you are most likely to still be trying.
Lubricant Alternatives
So if you are trying to conceive, the best idea is probably to avoid lubricants altogether. If this isn’t an option (and for many women it isn’t), choose lubricants made from all natural ingredients — a list of options can be found on OnePartSunshine.com.
You can even make your own lubricants using ingredients such as canola, coconut, or almond oil. Try this recipe for “love balm” from Crunchy Betty.
To be truly sure that the lubricants you are using aren’t interfering with the sperm’s journey to the egg, choose a product that was designed to be sperm-friendly. Yes Baby makes a fertility-friendly lubricant, and there’s some evidence that canola oil is sperm-friendly.
Most importantly, have fun. And try not to worry too much!
The preceding information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.