Preconception Nutrition

80% of women will experience at least one pregnancy in their lives. 1 in 6 people will experience infertility with 30% of infertility cases being associated with female factors, 30% associated with male factors, 30% being a combination of male and female factors and 10% being factored in for unknown causes. Statistics show infertility has been increasing over the years and the rate of ART (artificial reproductive treatment) use for successful pregnancy has as well.

When a couple is ready to conceive, it is recommended to visit with their OBGYN to prepare; women may start tracking cycles, cervical mucus and positioning, or simply stop preventing. Many women will think of being ‘healthier’, abstaining from alcohol, start taking a prenatal vitamin, etc. And while all of these things are appropriate, looking at individualized nutrition needs and analyzing nutritional intake is rarely offered. This individual assessment is necessary to recommend diet changes and appropriate vitamin supplementation routine that is optimal for each person; males and females alike.

We have heard a number of (well meaning) comments given to patients going through their #TTCjourney; a provider may give the recommendation ‘lose some weight’, ‘go keto’, ‘stop eating ____’, the list I have heard goes on and on. And while some of these recommendations have validity to them, these comments are not the full answer to the question, and more importantly they may not be timed appropriately for optimal egg quality, sperm quality, implantation, etc. The minute details of weight loss, adequate nutrient intake for different parts of the preconception and conception process, etc. are important for the couple and a future child’s overall genetic makeup.

Did you know sperm regenerates every 74 days?! While fertility is mainly focused on women, we forget that 50% of all fertility challenges have a male component to it. Additionally, conception in a male sense is more than just sperm count, we must consider motility, morphology, fragmentation, etc. and many of these factors are not extensively tested unless a couple experiences several miscarriages, failed IVF rounds or infertility persists despite optimizing the woman’s health.

On the other hand, we want about 3 months to really optimize a woman’s egg quality and therefore any extreme weight loss that is occurring prior to trying to conceive should be leveled out prior to this time frame. Nutrients and dietary changes associated with insulin and hormones can greatly affect ovulation, especially in patient with PCOS, and there are other nutrients and dietary changes that can help optimize uterine lining and increase chances of implantation and maintaining a pregnancy.

The Nurses Health Study, looking at thousands of healthcare providers, concluded that a ‘fertility diet’ had a 69% lower risk of ovulatory disorders. The main diet trends noted were replacing 5% animal protien with plant proteins, full fat dairy consumption, lower glycemic index diet, more monounsaturated fats and more folate intake. While these things may sound ‘common’, the process of removing saturated and trans fats can be difficult, especially due to the hidden trans fats in several foods. There are also a multitude of micronutrients associated with reproductive health and optimizing diet quality through dietary changes, and utilization of supplements when indicated, (IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN) that can help regulate cycles, better egg and sperm health, and provide epigenetic changes that will influence your offspring for years to come.

Contact us today to work with our certificate trained fertility dietitian.

(806)673-2833

Info@panhandlenutritiontherapy.com

Panth N, Gavarkovs A, Tamez M, Mattei J. The Influence of Diet on Fertility and the Implications for Public Health Nutrition in the United States. Front Public Health. 2018 Jul 31;6:211. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00211. PMID: 30109221; PMCID: PMC6079277.