Are you and your partner thinking about starting a family? Nutrition plays a crucial role in fertility and conception, impacting both male and female reproductive health. A well-balanced diet rich in essential nutrients can optimise your chances of conceiving and support a healthy pregnancy.
In addition to specific nutrients, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial for fertility. Regular exercise, managing stress levels, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking can all positively impact fertility outcomes for both men and women.
If you're trying to conceive, consider consulting with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider to establish your current nutritional levels and establish if there are any areas where you can improve, either throug diet or supplementation.
It is important for prospective parents to be in the best possible health at the time of conception as this gives them the best chance of conceiving and gives the foetus the best start. Therefore, ensuring a balanced diet is vital ahead of conception. It is recommended that you maintain optimal nutrient levels three months before conception to ensure your body builds up sufficient stores.
Fertility supplements for women
For women, maintaining a healthy weight and consuming nutrient-dense foods is key. Essential nutrients such as folate, iron, calcium, and vitamin D are vital for reproductive health. Incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your diet can provide the nutrients your body needs for fertility and a healthy pregnancy.
There are two very specific supplements that are recommended for women who are trying to get pregnant. Folate, otherwise known as vitamin B9 or folic acid, which is the synthetic form, should be taken 12 weeks before getting pregnant and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the government recommendation is that you take 400 micrograms of folate each day. Folate helps the body make red blood cells and helps prevent certain types of birth defects, like spina bifida. Vitamin D, is also recommended as it helps keep the bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Fertility supplements for men
Men also play a significant role in fertility, and their diet can impact sperm quality and quantity.
Certain nutrients can support male reproductive health such as zinc, which contributes to normal fertility, reproduction and testosterone levels in the blood. Selenium contributes to the process of normal spermatogenesis, which is the production and development of mature spermatozoa. A sperm cycle is approximately 64 days, so building up the right nutrient profile two cycles in advance of conception can offer the best chance of pregnancy success.
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