Trying to conceive a baby should normally be a joyous moment in a couple’s life. You’ve thought of a name and already picked out colors to paint his or her new room. However, according to a new online poll from Ava, a medical tech company for women’s reproductive health, 72 percent of women admitted to having "inconvenient or unromantic sex" just so they could try for a baby. Not exactly exciting.
The research, which surveyed 2,093 women in Europe and the US, also showed that 78 percent of respondents were unsure of the time it takes to get pregnant.
There are several community forums and many websites where advice and support are given to women who are trying to conceive, but the truth is that some women can be quite private about the process. Lea von Bidder, co-founder of Ava, said: “For most, the reason to stay quiet was mostly to avoid persistent questioning and requests for updates.”
In total, 52 percent of women are frequently asked about their plans to have a baby.
Another interesting note was that 80 percent of women in the US said that news of other women getting pregnant caused them stress or depression. This could be because they are comparing themselves to other women who seem to get pregnant easily or even accidentally.
Bidder added in a statement that "it's unfortunate how much stress and frustration women still experience today around the process of getting pregnant."
The poll also highlighted the fact that 58 percent of women aged 36-40 who were surveyed had “convinced a partner” to get intimate when he was not in the mood in the hopes of trying to conceive. Julie Spiers, the marketing manager from Ava, noted: “The stereotype of couples jumping into bed to take advantage of a woman’s ovulation seems to have some basis in reality based on our findings.”
Timing sex to take advantage of mother nature can add pressure to the situation as it removes any form of spontaneity, with 67 percent saying it “takes the fun out of it.”