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Seeds of Hope

Lubrication for Conception

By Lyn Mettler

Pre~Seed is a new product developed by Dr. Ellington, who has been government-funded to study sperm-related infertility since 1990. As she was conducting research among couples trying to conceive, she found many complained of vaginal dryness. "When I started looking at other [personal lubricants] out there, they all damaged sperm, which was consistent with reported studies others had published," she says, and that led her to create a product that would allow couples to have enjoyable sex without worrying about harming sperm.

According to Dr. Ellington, in order for a lubricant not to damage sperm, it needs to have a similar pH and osmolarity, which refers to the amount of ions or salt in a solution. Popular lubricants such as KY Jelly and Astroglide both have pH values much too low and osmolarities that are much too high, which pulls moisture out of the sperm, causing it to die within minutes after contact, she says.

Other popular lubricants such as water or saliva do not have the right levels to be sperm-friendly either. With water, it enters the sperm cell, damaging the membranes and causing it to swell and burst, says Dr. Ellington. Saliva, she says, is really detrimental, as it contains enzymes designed for digestion which cause sperm to wiggle and shake.

What about the oft-cited egg whites? Dr. Morris says that some older studies concluded that egg whites were the lubricant of choice at the time. In fact, n her book Taking Charge of Your Fertility

Want to see more?

• The Embarrassing Truth: Conception Facts You Need to Know But Are Too Afraid to Ask
• Keeping the Love Alive When You're Trying to Conceive
• Creating Memories: How to Capture the Essence of Your Last Child-free Year
• Talk about it!

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