Ask any couple trying to get pregnant what they hope for, and they’ll likely say that all they want is a healthy baby. Unfortunately, about 9% of men and 11% of women of reproductive age in the United States have experienced fertility problems. And while there are fertility treatment plans that span a wide array of reproductive issues, there is also an often-overlooked area that may help—nutritional support and environmental changes.

Before Trying

It’s ideal for couples wanting to conceive to take some time to prepare for conception, a time frame often referred to as preconception. A minimum of three months is a good head start as it correlates with the approximate amount of time needed for a sperm to form and for an egg to mature.

In some cases, a year of preconception preparation may be necessary for couples who need to make major lifestyle changes. Even for couples who don’t need to make major changes, it is also helpful to stop hormonal contraceptives and use non-hormonal methods of contraception, such as a diaphragm, condoms, or natural family planning a year prior to trying to conceive. This allows adequate time to address any hormonal imbalances that might have been present prior to starting hormonal contraceptives, that have developed since, or that might have been masked by hormonal contraceptives.

Additionally, hormonal contraceptives deplete many of the nutrients vital to fertility in the female body, including folate, magnesium, selenium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Women with thyroid or endocrine conditions may consider taking a longer time period to prepare for optimal fertility and the health of their future child.

Daddy Duty

For men, the most common causes of infertility are low sperm production, poor sperm motility, and abnormal morphology.

When a couple hasn’t successfully conceived after some time, a semen analysis is usually conducted as the easiest first step to determine the cause of infertility. Male factor only infertility is involved in approximately 30% of infertility cases.

Before and while trying to conceive, Dad should eat a nutrient-dense diet that includes adequate zinc, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin D, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Good foods for Dad to eat include shellfish, fish (especially salmon, sardines, anchovies, and herring), seaweed, eggs, grass-fed full-fat dairy, organic beef, organ meats, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, citrus, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, leafy greens, asparagus, beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and avocado.

A 2019 study found that men deficient in vitamin D had significantly lower sperm motility and total sperm count. So, it’s important for Dad to get adequate sunlight exposure to get optimal vitamin D synthesis.

Mommy Matters

The most common impediment to pregnancy for women is dysfunctional ovulation. The reason many women under 35 years old have ovulatory infertility is often attributed to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Researchers estimate that 5 to 10% of women in the United States have PCOS. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but current research suggests that a combination of genetics and environmental or lifestyle factors leads to the disorder.

While a woman should be focused on improving her overall health during preconception, there are certain areas that require a bit more attention. It is very helpful to have a comprehensive thyroid screening prior to conception because suboptimal thyroid function can increase miscarriage risk. During pregnancy, the thyroid increases hormone production more than 50% to provide enough for the developing baby. Until weeks 16-20, the baby’s thyroid gland isn’t mature enough to produce its own hormones, so it relies on the mother’s production. Maternal thyroid hormones continue to be transferred across the placenta throughout the entire pregnancy.

It is estimated that half of American women have insufficient iodine intake, which is needed for thyroid hormone production. Women who are deficient in iodine are half as likely to conceive in any given cycle.

Other areas of concern include a woman’s microbiome. The baby’s microbiome is seeded by the mother’s microbiome via delivery and breastfeeding. Disruptions in the normal population of an infant’s gut microbiome is associated with increased risk of allergies, eczema, asthma, childhood obesity, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and celiac disease. Eating fermented foods regularly and maintaining a healthy fiber intake of 25-30 grams daily can support Mom’s healthy microbiome.

Nutrition is Important

Scores of scientific studies make it clear that parents’ health and nutritional profiles during preconception can have an impact on the child’s growth, metabolism, and predisposition to various diseases into adulthood. Paternal nutrition status and environment have been linked to predisposing offspring to cancers, pancreas dysfunction, obesity, and sperm alterations. Maternal nutrition status and the environment have been linked to predisposing offspring to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, pancreas dysfunction, obesity, and endocrine changes.

What Gets in the Way

There are plenty of environmental issues that can hinder conception. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect fertility in both men and women. Unfortunately, these substances are everywhere in our environment and nearly impossible to avoid completely, but limiting exposure to them is important and supporting the body’s natural detoxification pathways is helpful. EDCs can be naturally occurring or synthetically derived chemicals. Some examples of EDCs and in what products they are often found include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) found in industrial solvents or lubricants; phthalates found in everything from food and beverage containers to vinyl flooring, detergent, nail polish, and perfume; bisphenol A (BPA) found in food and beverage containers (but no longer used in the production of baby bottles and sippy cups in United States); parabens found in cosmetics, skincare products, shampoos, and conditioners; pesticide and herbicide residue found on conventionally grown produce; and fluoropolymers found in non-stick cookware.

Genetic and metabolic changes can be induced by EDC toxins and can impact the lifelong health of the baby. For example, babies exposed to triclosan, a once-common ingredient in antibacterial soaps, may be at increased risk of sexual differentiation and development problems. Thankfully, triclosan has since been banned by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States. Exposure to BPA can increase miscarriage risk, and glyphosate, an herbicide, can impair female reproductive development in utero.

Making the Change

Couples thinking about having a baby have a lot to consider. Even three months of simple lifestyle changes can make a significant impact on fertility, reduce risk of miscarriage, improve the enjoyment of the pregnancy, reduce complications during pregnancy, and set the child up for a healthier life into adulthood.

But don’t get too overwhelmed. Things will never be perfect. Start with something simple. Maybe cut back on eating out as often and focus on preparing food at home more. Or limit how much alcohol you drink. And start exercising more regularly. Once these things become a habit, dive deeper. Do you need to increase the amount of vegetables you eat? Do you need to trade out some of some of your cookware or your cosmetics? Does a supplement need to be added? Could the choice of which fruit and vegetables you’re eating be improved? All of these questions can be worked on with the help of your integrative healthcare practitioner. An experienced fertility dietitian could be just the extra boost you need to get both of your bodies ready for your baby.

Dad Preconception Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Keep testicles cool
• Eat organic when possible
• Eat antioxidant-rich foods
• Maintain healthy weight
• Aim for 5 cups of fruits and veggies daily
• Limit alcohol
• Limit trans fats
• Exercise regularly
• Sleep 7-8 hours nightly
• Limit exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)

Don't

• Take long, hot baths or use hot tubs
• Smoke

Mom Preconception Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Eat organic when possible
• Eat antioxidant-rich foods
• Maintain healthy weight
• Aim for 5 cups of fruits and veggies daily
• Limit alcohol
• Limit trans fats
• Safely exercise regularly
• Sleep 7-8 hours nightly
• Limit exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
• Start taking a good prenatal multivitamin
• Eat fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, natto, and kimchi

Don't

• Consume too much caffeine
• Over exercise
• Smoke

Please Note: These comments are in no way intended to be used as medical advice. Always consult your physician or other healthcare professional before embarking on changes intended to support healthy fertility.