Starting a family is not always easy goal, and there are lots of myths surrounding infertility.

Some couples try for longer periods of time and put in more effort than others to conceive.

>>MORE: How Long Does It Take To Get Pregnant?

It is important for couples to understand the truth behind what people commonly say about infertility for a higher chance of success. So, here are the scientific facts behind four infertility myths.

Conception is completely random

There's a lot that needs to happen and be in place before the sperm can enter into the egg. Conception is a bodily process, and thus a healthy body is better for conception.

Living a healthy lifestyle by getting adequate rest, eating healthy food, and engaging in exercise can help prepare your body for conception. Taking supplements such as folic acid, zinc, iron and calcium could also help you conceive.

While none of these things are surefire ways to get pregnant, there are many things within our control to improve our chances of conceiving.

Infertility is only a woman’s issue

Infertility is an issue for women as well as men. According to the National Institute of Health, men and women both account for infertility at equal rates. That is infertility is 33% because of female conception issues, 33% for male conception issues, and 33% is for both partners having infertility issues at the same time.

Since both men and women can contribute to infertility, it's important for both partners to get regular check-ups by a healthcare provider who can offer holistic care. Professionals can help prepare the reproductive systems of both men and women for conceiving.

If they're hesitant to see an OBGYN, or a fertility expert, they can approach other healthcare professionals with training in the field of fertility. This includes a DNP with training in family care. DNPs can also give advice beyond the normal preparations, like mental-emotional ways to relax, proper nutrition and recommendations for exercise.

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Age only affects women's fertility, not men's

Women hear all the time that their age affects their fertility. While it's true that men can continuously generate sperm on a normal basis, the quality of their sperm does decline with age.

According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, males above the age of 50 presented a statistically significant increase in DNA damage. The damaged DNAs were 4.58 times more likely to be present in the sperm of men aged 50 and above as compared with the sperm of men aged 21-30.

An egg can be fertilized for up to two days after its release

Sperm can survive for up to five days inside of a uterus, but once the egg is released from the ovary, it has a time frame of 12 to 24 hours to be fertilized. Therefore, in order for conception to occur, live sperm must be present within the time frame during a woman’s ovulation.

>>MORE: How Can I Tell If I'm Ovulating? How to Find and Test Your Fertile Window

Takeaway

For many years, myths and misinformation about infertility spread like rumors and gossip. Thanks to advances in science, we can be more successful in our efforts to conceive and start families.