What’s the Best Sex Position for Conception?

Are there sex positions that have a better chance of conception?
—Kristen

No. Or, rather, there is nothing in the data that would provide any clues to this. You will sometimes hear that missionary sex is the best, or doggie style, or some other version in which the penis is close to the cervix. The idea is that then the sperm have a better shot at getting in — shorter swimming distances. It’s an idea! But there’s nothing in the evidence to support this, and they still have to swim all the way up the fallopian tubes.

A potato and an avocado, decorated with silly faces, snuggle under are blanket. — Getty Images

Could one position be better? I guess it is possible. We are stymied in our answer to this question by the fact that the medical literature is extremely light on information on sex positions at all. In my searching I found almost nothing. One paper on how people got more creative with their sex positions during COVID. One case report paper on how penile fractures seemed to occur during stressful sex situations (i.e. when you’re cheating on your spouse in an elevator). But nothing systematic about sex positions in general, let alone to get pregnant.

You’re on your own! Just do what you like.