The process of developing an ovarian follicle into the egg released during ovulation takes approximately 90-120 days. Similarly, for men, the development of sperm takes around 70-75 days. The choices we make (or don’t make) during this crucial 70-120 day period significantly impact fertility.

As a fertility naturopath, I emphasise a minimum 4-month preconception care period before couples start trying to conceive. If there are existing health conditions for mum, this timeframe may need to be extended. The goal is to optimise health to better support a pregnancy, ensuring the well-being of both the mother and future baby.

In this 4-month period, our focus is on enhancing the quality of eggs and sperm. We prioritise ensuring the intake of essential nutrients crucial for healthy development, promoting a robust environment for a successful pregnancy for both the mother and baby. The quality of developing eggs and sperm is significantly influenced by lifestyle factors during this timeframe, such as alcohol consumption, inflammation levels, exposure to toxins, and stress levels.

Our approach involves optimising the diet for both partners, emphasising the inclusion of essential elements while minimising components that may hinder overall health and fertility. This holistic strategy aims to improve the overall well-being of individuals and enhance their fertility prospects.

My top fertility foods for include:

• Blueberries for their potent antioxidants

• Avocados for their healthy monounsaturated fat content and antioxidants

• Eggs as they contain a plethora of nutrients for egg quality - Think eggs for eggs.. (always pasture raised and organic if possible).

• Good quality, wild caught fatty fish, such as sardines, salmon, mackerel.

• Leafy greens for their high folate and mineral content.

• Nuts and seeds for their array of proteins, fats and vitamins content including B vitamins.

• Oysters for their high zinc content important for sperm health.

• Cooked tomatoes for the potent antioxidant lycopene which is an important antioxidant in men’s health.

My top things to avoid in the preconception period:

• Alcohol - alcohol is a poison to the body, and increases both inflammation and oxidation, in which we are trying to avoid when supporting egg and sperm quality.

• Toxin exposure - avoiding toxins as much as we can including pesticides (eating organic as much as possible), reducing toxins in the home including cleaning products, personal care products and scents such as perfumes and candles.

• Packaged and processed foods - these are full of sugars and refined carbohydrates that cause inflammation and oxidation.

Supplementation:

We incorporate a premium prenatal supplement into our approach, often complemented by potent antioxidants to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation. A critical aspect is ensuring that the prenatal vitamin contains ACTIVE folate instead of, or as well as folic acid.

This is due to the fact that a considerable portion of the population (estimated at 40-60%) experiences challenges with the MTHFR gene, responsible for converting dietary folate and folic acid into the active form. Issues with this gene hinder the proper activation or conversion of folic acid, rendering it unusable by the body. Therefore, prioritising ACTIVE folate in the prenatal vitamin ensures optimal utilisation and effectiveness in supporting reproductive health.

Folate is one of the most important nutrients for preconception and pregnancy, as folate is required for:

• Healthy DNA and protein synthesis, which is important to reduce neural tube defects.

• Ovarian cell health.

• Lowers homocysteine (high homocysteine is associated with reduced conception and pregnancy loss)

Ensuring you have a natal supplement that contains active folate, means the conversion and subsequent risk is bypassed. Many poor quality and over the counter supplements contain only folic acid and no active folate which means anyone with this MTHFR gene variant, may not be getting enough folate for safe conception and pregnancy.

Please get in touch if you are thinking about a pregnancy in the near future and want some support from a naturopath to help navigate all the information out there... you don’t need to go it alone! Follow this link to book an appointment with me.