Can a Menstrual Cup Help You Get Pregnant?

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a while, you may have started searching social media for tips on how to conceive quickly. Of course, there’s no shortage of tricks and hacks to try—some of which might sound a bit questionable. One of these is using a menstrual cup to get pregnant: People say this can work by either inserting it after you have sex (to keep your partner’s sperm in your cervix) or having your partner ejaculate into the cup, then putting it inside of yourself.

Lots of women report that menstrual cups helped them with their own baby-making journey. “After many months of failed conception and three miscarriages, I went to TikTok to ask for advice on how to get pregnant,” says Emma Marie, a TikTok creator. “My video went viral and I got the most incredible advice. So many comments mentioned a menstrual cup.” In a follow-up post, she looks at her pregnancy test and finds out it’s positive. “Here we go! Journey to baby No. 3,” she says.

This hack has gotten so popular that some companies have even launched so-called “conception aid cups,” which look similar to menstrual cups but are actually designed to help get you pregnant.

So, can a menstrual cup help you get pregnant? And is this unconventional method safe to try? Ahead, experts break it down.

Key Takeaways

• Many women on social media say that using a menstrual cup has helped them conceive.
• There’s no scientific data to support the menstrual cup conception hack.
• In theory, this works by either inserting it after you have sex, or having your partner ejaculate into the cup and then putting it inside yourself.
• Doctors say it can’t hurt to use a menstrual cup to get pregnant if you want to give it a try. However, if you’ve been trying to conceive for a long time, it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider.

What Is a Menstrual Cup?

“A menstrual cup is a flexible cup, often made from silicone, that’s inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual fluid,” explains Natalia Llarena, MD, an ob-gyn and reproductive endocrinologist with HRC Fertility in Pasadena, California. These cups are usually bell- or V-shaped. Women will typically insert the menstrual cup during their period and empty it throughout the day, before reinserting it to continue to collect blood, says Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute.

While menstrual cups have been around for years, they’re still not as popular as using tampons and pads to control your flow.

Can a Menstrual Cup Help You Get Pregnant?

While some women on social media swear by using a menstrual cup to get pregnant, science doesn’t quite back this up. “There’s no data that proves that it helps or changes your odds of getting pregnant,” says Jennifer Leighdon Wu, MD, an ob-gyn at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Greves agrees, but adds that “there may be some anecdotal evidence of this.” (See: TikTok.)

The theory behind using a menstrual cup to get pregnant is that inserting a menstrual cup after you have sex can help keep your partner’s sperm inside your cervix. (Some people will also have their partner ejaculate into the cup and then insert it.) In theory, this would keep the sperm closer to your cervix and raise the odds it’ll meet your egg, leading to a pregnancy.

But Llarena says that because sperm enters the uterus so quickly and is rapidly immobilized, the trick is unlikely to help. “Sperm enter the uterus rapidly after ejaculation and have been found in the cervical mucus within 90 seconds, and many more within three minutes,” she says. “Within two hours of ejaculation, most sperm remaining in the vagina are immobilized by the acidic environment in the vagina.”

This hasn’t stopped some women from praising this method. “If you’re struggling to conceive, this is a great, affordable and easy trick to try before spending thousands of dollars on tests and next steps,” says Emma Marie. “I hadn’t ever used a cup before, but it wasn’t uncomfortable like I assumed it would be. We used it our entire window. We got pregnant the first month we used it.”

A commenter on TikTok reports: “I have a tilted cervix and I did this method. Kept it in for almost 12 hours. Did it three times during the fertile window. Got me pregnant with my first.” Another commenter says: “Used this after a year of trying, got pregnant on the first try!”

Is It Safe to Try Using a Menstrual Cup to Get Pregnant?

Sure, it’s not the most scientifically sound method of getting pregnant. But doctors say you’re probably fine to give it a try. “I don’t think there’s any danger in doing it,” Wu says. Greves agrees, adding, “you could try it if you want.”

Doctors recommend that you don’t wear the menstrual cup for longer than the directions say, which is usually 12 hours. While it’s very rare, there’s a small risk of developing toxic shock syndrome from a menstrual cup, Greves points out.

Ultimately, if you’re struggling to conceive, the best thing to do is reach out to your doctor. “If a couple is trying to get pregnant and not conceiving, they should see their healthcare provider,” Wu says. Your doctor may be able to offer scientifically proven suggestions you haven’t thought of yet, as well as do testing and offer treatments to help you get on the path to parenthood.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.