Seeds of Hope

Lubrication for Conception

By Lyn Mettler

A package of Pre~Seed, which sells for about $20, contains six pre-filled applicators. It's easy to insert you simply tear off a tab, insert it in the vagina and squeeze the applicator to release the lubricant.

One nice feature is that you can use the product up to 15 minutes before intercourse. "I like the fact that you can use Pre~Seed prior to making love, so you don't have to stop in the middle of all the fun," says Tabitha, 28, of San Diego, Calif., who has been trying to conceive for nearly two years. "It really helps the spontaneity," says Dr. Ellington.

Users also cite how natural Pre~Seed feels. Melinda, 30, and her husband Michael, 27, have been trying to conceive their second child for about six years. "I have recently gone through two cryosurgeries (freezing of the cervix) ... and it has taken almost all of my cervical fluids away," says Melinda. "It is so natural feeling that my husband said it felt like 'old times' the way I used to feel before I had my daughter seven years ago."

Dr. Ellington also points out that its consistency is very similar to semen, and it is not sticky at all. "It's so easy to use and it works like a dream," says Stewart. "It creates a nice, slippery environment! Plus, it doesn't stain our sheets, and it has no odor."

One word of warning, however, each applicator contains a seemingly more-than-needed amount of product, so use sparingly! Dr. Ellington says the intention was to include enough product to coat the vagina and the external cervix for everyone. But it is a lot of product, she says, so she advises inserting it while sitting on the toilet. They will be decreasing the amount in future packaging because of such feedback.

Bio~OriGyn, the company which manufactures the product, has not done any studies on the number of pregnancies that have resulted from the use of Pre~Seed and doesn't plan to in the near future, so there is no conclusive evidence.

However, Dr. Ellington says they have had several pregnancies reported since women began using the product. Stewart recently conceived after her second month of using the product. Also, a post on the company's online message board says, "My husband and I are thrilled to finally be experiencing what we have wanted for so long. We finally had success on month 19. I truly believe it was the Pre~Seed that made all the difference in the world ... I used it two days before I ovulated and then again on ovulation day, and lo and behold, I got a positive test two weeks later."

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!