If only boosting fertility was as simple as a particular diet or food! Unfortunately, reproduction is much more complex than that, but it is possible to optimize your chances at getting pregnant with good nutrition.

So just what is "good" nutrition?

Even if you or your partner have a condition that absolutely requires fertility treatment, such as blocked tubes or severe male factor issues, starting treatment with a healthy body is positively the way to go toward getting the most out of your time and money spent. Plus, trying to get pregnant can be especially stressful for people going through fertility treatment, and healthful nutrition is one way of managing the effects of that stress.

Besides what you eat, pay attention to how its prepared. Again, the knowledge that everyone hears -- baked, steamed, or stir-fried is better than pan-fried or deep-fried -- will suit your purposes for promoting fertility indirectly through improving your general health.

Additionally, all women who are considering pregnancy should take a folic acid supplement of 400 mcg or more before and after conception. Research has found a direct link between too little prenatal folic acid and certain congenital neural diseases.

Many future mothers find that pre-conception is a good time to adjust their alcohol intake, too.

Use Common Sense

Some cases do warrant modification of one's daily intake of certain nutrients. A common example is carbohydrates, which seem to increase some women's tendency toward polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. Another fertility-impacting disease that may be enhanced nutritionally is endometriosis. However, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of reviewing any nutritional changes with your fertility specialist.

If your pre-pregnancy practitioner suggests that your weight is not optimal for conception, as hard as it sounds, try not to react as though you've been personally criticized. Remember -- if you had any other health condition that would stand in the way of your dreams, you'd want your practitioner to let you know.

The key is balance and moderation. Even foods that are good for your health can be eaten too much. Fish is a perfect example. Because of water pollution, many types of fish have mercury contents that are known to adversely affect pregnancy. For this reason, women who are pregnant should avoid some fish -- shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or white snapper -- altogether, and should eat no more than six ounces of white or albacore tuna or tuna steak per week. It doesn't hurt and may even help to go ahead and observe some of those pregnancy-based recommendations before the fact, too.

Another good general point is to use common sense when hearing other patients or advertisements promote supplements meant to enhance fertility. While there is growing evidence that men and women may benefit in subtle ways from the addition of specific herbs to their diet, it's easy to become confused by some of the conflicting information. While there are no herbs or supplements that can be said to, without a doubt, increase your chances of pregnancy, there certainly are some that can not only decrease your fertile potential but can endanger the life of any embryo that you create. I recommend that you keep your practitioner fully informed about any supplements you consume throughout your trying-to-conceive times and later during pregnancy.

The Extra Mile

Good, easy-to-read information on nutrition and pregnancy is available at Pregnancy and a Healthy Diet on the site of The National Women's Health Information Center by the US Dept of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health.

For many people, changing their diet for the better during pre-conception is their first step toward experiencing what it means to be a parent. Whatever your choices, make sure they're safe for you and the little one that you're hoping to create.

All Houston Infertility Clinic patients have access to professional nutrition counseling by a registered dietitian with expertise in fertility treatment. As always, all of our staff will be happy to answer your questions and concerns about this and any other pre-conception issues.

Sincerely,

Sonja B. Kristiansen, MD