TRYING to have a baby is an all consuming business.
Hopeful parents can become obsessed with apps and tests that track ovulation and tell them when they should have sex.
GettyCouples should be having sex every other day to boost their chances of getting pregnant[/caption]
But a fertility expert has said there is no need for that.
According to Professor Adam Balen, former chairman of the British Fertility Society, you just need to have regular sex – about three times a week.
He said it truly is that simple, and by focussing so much on ovulation, couples might forget to have sex at other times too.
He told the Daily Mail: “Couples should ideally be having sex every other day to maximise their chances of having a baby.
Read more on fertility
FERTILITY HOPE
Frozen testicle tissue could help male cancer survivors become fertile again
BABY BLUES
I’m a fertility expert and you must eat these foods if you want to get pregnant
“If men do not have sex regularly, older sperm building up in their body can release chemicals which may cause other sperm to die.
“Women sometimes get too hung up on ovulation, wait only for that day to have sex, and do it less often as a result.
“Couples trying to conceive often focus just on the time of ovulation to have sex. But you need to have sperm there waiting for the egg.”
“We have become too hi-tech in our approach to life generally and that extends to getting pregnant.
Most read in Health
DAME IN A DAY
I could've spoken to Wills all day, says Deborah James as she gets Damehood
DAME & THE DUKE
Deborah James posts photo with Prince William as royal presents Damehood
'KEEP LOVING'
Deborah James says she's 'finding life harder' as she opens up after Damehood
'TRUE INSPIRATION'
AJ & David Beckham pay tribute to Deborah James as she's made a Dame
'THIS IS CRAZY'
Inspirational Deborah James overwhelmed as fundraiser hits £5million
'OUTPOURING OF LOVE'
Deborah James is 'blown away' and 'lost for words' over Damehood
“Women should be aware of when they are ovulating but not tie themselves in knots over it and forget the importance of having sex generally.”
The NHS consultant in reproductive medicine also said focussing so much on ovulation can lead to men “having sex to order”, which isn’t good for them.
Many people have reported falling pregnant and finding it a less stressful process by using apps or devices.
But some experts fear they are starting to hinder more than help.
One, Professor Allan Pacey, raised concerns more people need help conceiving nowadays, perhaps because they aren’t having enough sex.
Another fertility expert spoke to the Sun to reveal when you can know if you are most fertile, without relying on apps.
Hannah Pearn advised that you are most fertile five days after your period, but it can be any time between two to 10 days.
Read More on The Sun
VILLA SECRETS
I was on Love Island and there are four HUGE things the show BANS from TV
KEEP US POSTED
Man reveals we’re using Post It notes wrong & it’s blowing people’s minds
She explained: “Don’t rely on apps to tell you when you are most fertile – many are based on algorithms and don’t always tell you the best time.
“Your ovulation can change day every month and isn’t always on day 14 so if you rely on the algorithm you can easily miss it.”
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun news desk?
Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4104. You can WhatsApp us on 07423 720 250. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
Click here to get The Sun newspaper delivered for FREE for the next six weeks.