Women in the UK Are Eating McDonald’s Fries to Help Them Get Pregnant

Jan. 2 is a very good day in the UK—it’s National Baby-Making Day! It’s earned that title because more babies are born in the UK on Sept. 26 than any other day of the year. And that date falls exactly 38 weeks (the length of the average pregnancy) after, well, today.

To commemorate the occasion, Channel Mum, a YouTube network of “mummy vloggers,” did a study to find out what methods couples employ to increase their odds of getting pregnant. And one old new wives’ tale in particular caught our eye. Apparently, some women think that eating McDonald’s French fries immediately after having sex will help them conceive.

Yes, you read that correctly: Women are having fries as a post-sex snack in the name of baby-making. Granted, it’s not a lot of women. Only 3 percent of the study’s participants admit to having tried this. But if you Google “McDonald’s fries and fertility,” you’ll see there are a lot of people who believe that the fries’ high salt content does help with fertilization because it prompts your body to “soak up” extra fluids. Which, okay, sounds kind of plausible. Just remember, there are absolutely no studies to back this theory up, something Siobhan Freegard, the founder of Channel Mum, admits in her post about the study.

“Falling pregnant isn’t always easy so couples who have been trying a while will attempt almost anything to help," Freegard says. “While there isn’t much medical science to back up these tips, our members swear they have all helped and we have hundreds of bouncing new babies to prove it.”

And honestly, good for them. Everyone loves French fries, so we say take any excuse to enjoy them. It’s not even the most out-there thing that this group of study participants has tried. Ten percent of women reported wearing socks during sex and for the week after because they believe keeping their feet warm can help (online sleuthing tells me that warm feet equal a warm uterus). Six percent have avoided having an orgasm for a week after attempting to conceive (no fun!). A full 5 percent have worn green and had sex on green bed sheets because green is considered to be a “fertile” color. And a brave 1 percent of men have worn frozen underwear because cooler temperatures apparently make sperm happier. Take a look at the full list below.

1. Wear socks during sex and for the week after to keep your feet warm (10 percent)
2. Eat McDonalds chips immediately after sex (3 percent)
3. Eat dark chocolate every day (37 percent)
4. Avoid having an orgasm for a week after sex (6 percent)
5. Use reverse psychology and tell yourself you don’t want a baby, then have a wild night out and forget about “trying” (39 percent)
6. Eat pineapples and drink pineapple juice (32 percent)
7. Wear green and use green bed sheets—believed to be a fertile color (5 percent)
8. Pierce your nose on the left side. Eastern Ayurvedic medicine claims this can make the woman more fertile (0.5 percent)
9. Don’t just put your legs in the air but “bicycle” them for at least three minutes (58 percent)
10. Sleep in total darkness. Switch off your phones, devices and wifi (15 percent)
11. Do “dry January” and stop drinking for a month (7 percent)
12. And for the men—wear frozen underwear (1 percent)

Are you trying to get pregnant? Check out these more evidence-based tips for speeding up the process.

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.