Zoom Baby Reviews: The Best Fertility Lubricants

Trying to conceive can involve a surprising amount of advice, from when to have sex to which products to use. If you need a personal lubricant for comfort, you may have wondered whether it matters which one you choose.

Some conventional lubricants reduce sperm movement or survival in laboratory studies. Fertility-friendly lubricants are formulated to minimise those effects. That is a useful distinction, but it does not mean a lubricant can treat infertility or guarantee a better chance of pregnancy.

Contents

• How Lubricants Affect Sperm
• What the Research Shows
• Are Natural Alternatives Suitable?
• Conceive Plus and Pre-Seed
• Choosing a Lubricant

How Lubricants Affect Sperm

For pregnancy to occur, sperm must travel through the cervix and uterus towards an egg in a fallopian tube. The days around ovulation offer the best chance of conception. Ovulation is often described as occurring about 14 days before the next period, although cycle length and timing vary.

Lubricants differ in their acidity, salt concentration and other ingredients. In laboratory conditions, some products slow sperm movement or reduce sperm survival. A product’s thickness may also affect movement in a laboratory test. These results help explain why a couple who needs lubricant might choose one labelled fertility-friendly, but they cannot tell us whether a particular couple will become pregnant sooner.

Discomfort during sex is a sound reason to use lubricant. There is no need to avoid it or endure pain because you are trying for a baby. If dryness or pain persists, speak to a GP or sexual health professional about the cause.

What the Research Shows

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s guidance notes that several water-based lubricants, as well as saliva and olive oil, can impair sperm movement in laboratory tests. Results vary by product and test method. “Natural” is therefore not a reliable guide to sperm compatibility.

Research that follows people trying to conceive asks a different question: does using a lubricant change the time it takes to become pregnant? In one prospective cohort study, fertility-friendly lubricant use was not associated with a meaningful difference in the chance of conception per cycle compared with no lubricant use. That finding does not prove all products are equivalent, but it does mean laboratory sperm results should not be presented as proof of higher pregnancy rates.

Are Natural Alternatives Suitable?

Baby oil, cooking oils, yoghurt, saliva and egg whites are sometimes suggested online as substitutes. We would not recommend using food or household products as vaginal lubricants. A laboratory finding that an oil has little effect on sperm movement does not establish that it is comfortable, appropriate for vaginal use or helpful for conception.

If you want lubrication while trying to conceive, choose a product intended for that purpose and follow its instructions. If you also use latex condoms at other times, check compatibility: oil-based products can damage latex.

Conceive Plus and Pre-Seed

Conceive Plus and Pre-Seed are two fertility-friendly lubricants available from Zoom Baby. Both are intended to provide lubrication while being compatible with sperm in laboratory testing. Neither should be described as a treatment for infertility or as a way to increase pregnancy rates.

Conceive Plus

Conceive Plus is available in tubes and pre-filled applicators. The format you choose is mainly a matter of convenience and preference. Check the current product page for available pack sizes and follow the instructions on the pack rather than assuming that a larger amount or a particular application time will improve your chance of conceiving. You can also read our guide to using Conceive Plus.

Pre-Seed

Pre-Seed is another option designed for couples trying to conceive. Depending on the pack, it may come with applicators. Use only as directed and choose the amount that makes sex comfortable. Our Pre-Seed instructions explain the format in more detail. We also have a Pre-Seed and Conceive Plus comparison.

There is no reliable basis here to say that one of these two products will help you conceive faster than the other. Availability, ingredients, packaging, price and personal comfort are more useful ways to decide.

Choosing a Lubricant

If you do not need lubricant, there is no reason to start using one to improve fertility. If you do need it, a fertility-friendly product is a reasonable choice, provided it is comfortable for you. Timing sex around the fertile window and broader reproductive health matter more than choosing between brands. The NHS guidance on trying to get pregnant recommends regular sex every two to three days.

If you have been trying for a year without conceiving, speak to your GP. Seek advice sooner if you are 36 or over or have another reason to be concerned about fertility. A lubricant cannot address an underlying fertility problem.

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