If you are struggling to get pregnant you are not alone. There are many women who are continually struggling to conceive and one of the many potential factors which may be affecting your chances include your diet.
The first question which you need to ask yourself is are your getting your recommended serves of fruit and vegetables? These two food groups are power houses when it comes to your health but when you are trying to get pregnant they play an important role too. Studies suggesting diets of women higher in antioxidant which are found in fruit and vegetables are linked to increased likelihood of conceiving. An added bonus is vegetables and fruit are low in calories which help you maintain a healthy weight which helps improve your fertility. Some easy ways to add more serves of these two groups is by swapping out refined sugars like honey to your cereal and adding in some berries instead, adding some fruit to yogurt or try adding more beans or your favourite veggies to your spaghetti, meatloaf or meatballs at dinner.
Another food group which may be affecting your fertility if you are struggling with anovulatory infertility is your intake of dairy. The quality and type of dairy is important here and full fat milk has links to improve chances of conceiving with women who are affected by ovulation which is a little altered.
Lentils, pulses and beans are not only easy to access in the supermarket but are also cheap! A plant-based diet has been associated with positive effects on fertility. This does not mean that you need to eliminate meat but if you are able to add more meat free meals to your week this will have health bonuses for your body in many ways not just fertility. Try adding some beans to a salad or having baked beans on toast with cheese and whole grain toast for breakfast or even making a minestrone soup.
It is important to remember your healthy fats! Extra virgin olive oil and fish are not only delicious but may also improve your fertility. Try adding a teaspoon of olive oil to your salads, making tinned salmon with olive oil and vegetables sticks a regular snack or enjoying a delicious grilled fillet using olive oil with quinoa and your favourite Asian style vegetables for a delicious and easy dinner.
Take home message: There is no single factor which ensures conception. However, adding a combination of many factors to your life does put the odds more greatly in your favour and increase your chances to conceive.
References:
- Showell MG, Brown J, Clarke J, Hart RJ. Antioxidants for female subfertility. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Jul 24;8:CD007807. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007807.pub2. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23913583.
- Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Diet and lifestyle in the prevention of ovulatory disorder infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jul 24;110(5):1050-8. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17978119.
- McLean M, Wellons MF. Optimizing natural fertility: the role of lifestyle modification. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2018 Jul 24;39(4):465-77. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2012.09.004. Abstract available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23182554
