Is there a fertility diet that can improve your chances of getting pregnant?

Is there a fertility diet that can improve your chances of getting pregnant?

From using an ovulation tracking app to reducing caffeine consumption, people trying to get pregnant will do a variety of things to increase their chances of conceiving. However, according to fertility specialists, even something as simple as changing your food intake can make a difference.

"Maintaining optimal daily diet and food choices can help you maintain fertility potential," while certain eating habits (such as favoring simple carbohydrates over complex carbohydrates) can affect fertility, says Dr. Michael Guarnaccia, MD, MPH, FACOG, a fertility specialist at Oma Fertility in New York. Below, fertility specialists describe exactly how you can adjust your diet to improve fertility.

How does diet affect fertility?

The single biggest factor that affects a person's fertility is their age, says Dr. Guarnaccia. “There is a well-known and documented relationship between a person's age and the number and quality of eggs in their ovaries,” he says.

Aside from the year of birth, health status also plays an important role in a person's current fertility. For example, an ovulation disorder (such as polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS), fallopian tube damage, endometriosis, uterine or cervical polyps, or a body weight that is considered too high or too low for their frame are associated with an increased risk of infertility, according to the Mayo Clinic.

However, according to fertility specialist Joel Batzofin, MD, FACOG, reproductive endocrinologist at Dreams Fertility, a fertility clinic in Coachella Valley, California, there are also a number of other lifestyle factors that impact a person's fertility. These lifestyle factors include a person's activity level, stress level, sleep quality and quantity, and nutrient intake, he says.

Of course, what you eat (or don't eat) affects your nutrient intake and can therefore play a role in fertility. While there is no specific diet proven to improve fertility, "maintaining a healthy diet [that] adequate calorie intake combined with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and proteins will help optimize fertility," says Dr. Guarnaccia.

Fertility Diet Tips

Ahead, learn six expert-recommended rules for adapting a fertility-boosting diet. Just remember that there is no one-size-fits-all fertility diet that is guaranteed to increase your chances of getting pregnant. "There is no magic fertility diet, so it's best to consult a nutritionist before changing your food intake too much," says Dr. Guarnaccia.

Consume the appropriate amount of calories for you.

Being too high or too low in body weight can affect a person's ability to conceive, explains Dr. Guarnaccia. “Both ends of the body weight spectrum can lead to ovulatory abnormalities, manifesting as irregular menstruation,” he says. In some cases, ovulation stops altogether, while in other people, ovulation becomes less frequent, he says. (As a reminder, ovulation is the phase of a person's cycle in which an egg is released from the ovaries and travels into the fallopian tubes, where it can be fertilized.)

“Someone with too little body mass could develop hypothalamic amenorrhea,” which is when a person completely loses their menstrual cycle and ovulation window, says Dr. Guarnaccia. Conversely, people with body masses higher than recommended are at increased risk of conditions characterized by hormonal abnormalities such as PCOS, which can create a suboptimal environment for pregnancy and, by extension, prevent you from becoming pregnant, he explains.

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of factors that affect a person's weight, including genetics, gender, race, where they live, work and worship, the habits of the people around them, their general activity level, and more, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. However, one of the most important, malleable factors is daily calorie intake.

Work with a fertility nutritionist or health care provider to find out exactly how many calories you should consume per day, recommends Dr. Batzofin.

Eat foods rich in folic acid.

If you're trying to get pregnant, you've probably heard or read that folic acid is the supplement you should take. For this reason, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all people who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant consume at least 400 micrograms of folic acid per day to reduce the risk of fetal abnormalities, noting that it is difficult to get that much from diet alone. (In fact, it recommends that all people who can become pregnant and are of childbearing age supplement their diet with folic acid, since half of all pregnancies are unplanned and therefore the health of the fetus could be at risk.)

Still, it's wise to consume foods rich in folic acid because these foods are also rich in other nutrients that can support a healthy pregnancy, says Tomer Singer, MD, reproductive endocrinologist and medical director at Shady Grove Fertility in New York. “Beans, peas, lentils, asparagus, eggs, leafy greens, beets and citrus fruits are some examples of foods that have been shown to have a high [folate content],” he says.

Eat foods high in iron.

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, eating meat (or other iron-rich foods) may be helpful. “During pregnancy, blood volume increases significantly and the placenta uses up much of the iron in your system,” explains Dr. Singer. Topping up your iron stores before you officially become pregnant can help prevent iron deficiency (anemia), he says.

The iron intake recommended by the US Food and Nutrition Board is 18 milligrams for women between 19 and 50 and 27 milligrams for pregnant women. Meat eaters can get their iron fix from chicken, turkey and beef, says Dr. Singer. “Spinach, kale, broccoli, sweet potatoes and beans are also high in iron,” he says.

Benefits of iron and iron-rich foods to add to your diet

Favor foods containing omega-3 fatty acids.

According to Dr. Guarnaccia is believed to have anti-inflammatory benefits and egg protection in a diet containing omega-3 fatty acids. According to a study published in the journal Reproductive Science, one of the main causes of infertility is inflammation, affecting all components and organs necessary for reproduction. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that taking an anti-inflammatory nutrient like omega-3 fatty acids supports fertility.

In a study published in the journal Human Reproduction, those who supplemented their diet with omega-3 fatty acids were 1.5 times more likely to actually get pregnant than those who didn't. Notably, the study authors noted that this was not a randomized, controlled trial and that the participants who took omega-3 fatty acids may have been health-conscious in different ways compared to the other participants.

“Omega-3 fatty acids are not produced by the body, so the fatty acids must be consumed in the form of foods or supplements,” says Dr. Guarnaccia. While the results of the human reproduction study were not dose-specific, consensus guidelines from the World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the Child Health Foundation recommend that people trying to conceive consume 200 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day.

“Fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, anchovies and oysters are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Dr. Guarnaccia. However, the ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals attempting to conceive limit seafood consumption to 340 grams (or 12 ounces) per week to reduce fetal exposure to trace levels of neurotoxins. Therefore, it is important to consider non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which include nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil and avocados, says Dr. Guarnaccia.

Everything you need to know about omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids

Eat complex (not simple!) carbohydrates.

In fact, there are two main categories of carbohydrates: complex and simple. While complex carbohydrates are high in fiber and therefore slow to digest, simple carbohydrates are low in fiber and therefore quickly digested and high in sugar, as Shape previously reported.

Complex carbohydrates are generally considered the healthier option for everyone, but according to Dr. Guarnaccia they are particularly preferable for people trying to conceive. “Simple carbohydrates – white bread, pasta, white rice and chips – can contribute to insulin resistance,” he says. "High insulin levels have been shown to cause changes in estrogen and progesterone, which in and of themselves can affect ovulation, making them suboptimal for people trying to conceive," he explains.

Because of their higher fiber content, complex carbohydrates have a less extreme impact on insulin levels and therefore may not negatively impact conception when taken in the correct dosage, says Dr. Guarnaccia. Therefore, to meet your daily carbohydrate intake, he recommends favoring foods with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole grain bread and pasta, quinoa, barley and oatmeal or rolled oats.

Worth noting: Although not all carbohydrates contain gluten, some do. If you're trying to conceive and have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, it's important to take extra care to avoid gluten while trying to conceive, says Dr. Guarnaccia. This is because if you have an allergy, eating products containing gluten causes an inflammatory reaction in the body that is suboptimal for conception.

Limit alcohol consumption.

Limiting alcohol consumption isn't just for people who are already pregnant. It's also for people who want to get pregnant - and for several reasons.

First of all, if they don't notice the early signs of pregnancy, many people won't know they're pregnant for two to four weeks until they've become pregnant. Consuming alcohol in the early stages of pregnancy can, according to Dr. Singer increase the risk of early miscarriage and fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a group of conditions characterized by abnormalities of the brain, central nervous system, heart, kidneys or lungs found in the fetus, he explains.

“Alcohol has also been linked to reduced absorption of vital nutrients, including folic acid, B12, B1, zinc and vitamins D and K,” says Dr. Singer. That means it's not just alcohol that can affect fetal maturation, but also the effects that alcohol has on other nutrients necessary for fetal development, he explains.

How my life changed for the better when I quit drinking for a month

The bottom line on adjusting your diet to increase fertility

Ultimately, diet is neither the only nor the most important factor affecting a person's fertility. However, dialing in your diet can support your overall health and therefore help create an optimal environment for fertilization and fetal growth. The six fertility diet suggestions above are a good starting point, but since everyone is different, you should consult a nutrition or fertility specialist for recommendations specific to you and your needs.