Fertility for Women
Getting pregnant may not be as easy as it seems. Up to one in six couples has problems conceiving and only half of couples achieve pregnancy within six months of trying.
In order to maximise your chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy, it is ideal to start preparing your body with the right nutrition and supplements at
...Read more least three months in advance of attempting to get pregnant. Three months is the amount of time it takes to mature an egg or sperm and for nutritional changes and supplements to have an effect on the body. This also applies to the male partner, as the health of the sperm is also vital (about a quarter of fertility problems can be attributed to the male). However if you are already trying for a baby, the following suggestions can still be helpful.
For detailed dietary advice, it is a good idea to either see a nutritionist or invest in a good book on fertility such as Marilyn Glenville’s “Getting Pregnant Faster” or “Zita West's Guide to Getting Pregnant” [are we able to put these on the website?]. However, some basic dietary guidelines that both partners can follow include:
• Lots of fresh vegetables – for antioxidants, fibre, minerals, vitamin C and B vitamins. Low-sugar fruits such as berries, cherries and plums are great to include, while others can be included in moderation – and try to incorporate a range of different coloured fruits/vegetables for a broad range of antioxidants, to protect and ensure the health of the egg and sperm.
• Include plenty of protein in the form of fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils. Moderate amounts of organic poultry and organic dairy foods are ok to include, but avoid red meat.
• Include plenty of 'good' fats in the form of oily fish (about 3 times a week), avocadoes, ground flaxseeds or a good cold-pressed flaxseed oil or omega 3-6-9 oil that you can add to food.
• Ensure adequate water intake – 1.5 to 2 litres a day. Water is necessary for hormone balance and flushing toxins and waste products out of the body.
• Eliminate alcohol, coffee and smoking. All of these can dramatically reduce fertility.
• Eliminate or reduce as much as possible sugary foods, ‘junk’ foods and processed foods. Sugar and certain food additives can affect hormone balance.
In terms of supplements for the female partner, we nearly always recommend a good multivitamin/mineral specifically formulated for fertility. Important ingredients to have in your fertility multivitamin include:
• Folic Acid – 400-800mcg
• Zinc – 15-30mg
• Vitamin E – ideally 100-200mg
• B vitamins
• Iron – 5-15mg
• Vitamin D
• Selenium – 100-150mcg
Two good basic additions to your multivitamin are vitamin C, to a total of 1000mg a day (including what it in your multi), and a good fish oil that combines EPA and DHA. These can be continued throughout pregnancy, in addition to a pregnancy multivitamin.
'Extra' supplements that may be helpful for fertility include the following:
• Co Enzyme Q10 – 50-100mg
• Royal Jelly (preferably a fresh royal jelly that is refrigerated, rather than a capsule form)
• Extra antioxidants that may include blueberry, grapeseed extract, lutein, lycopene, alpha lipoic acid, green tea extract, pine bark extract or a supplement that combines these.
• The herb Agnus Castus
• A ‘green’ superfood powder that may include combinations of spirulina, chlorella, wheat and barley grasses and others – this will give a fantastic, easily absorbed source of nutrients and can help to cleanse and detoxify the body.
• For couples with repeated or ongoing problems with fertility, we may also look at supporting the immune system. Good supplements to take may include Echinacea and beta glucans.
If you fall pregnant while taking the above “extras”, please consult our nutritionists at the number below for advice about supplements that you can continue to take and how to adapt your regime.
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