Nutrition for Fertility and Preconception
When it comes to nutrition for fertility and preconception, there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition plan that is perfect for every woman. However, there are some fundamental dietary principles that support fertility, and create the optimal conditions for a healthy pregnancy, baby and postpartum recovery.
Of all the ways you can influence your health, nutrition is the area where you have the most control, and what you do (or don’t) eat profoundly influences of your overall health and, by extension, your reproductive health (e.g. menstrual cycle regularity, ovulation, egg quality, health of your uterine lining, immune system, and gut and vaginal microbiome).
The unfortunate reality is that many women are chronically low in many of the nutrients that are essential for optimal fertility even if they eat generally well. This is especially true if they’ve been on hormonal birth control for a while.
If you have the luxury of time, I recommend dedicating at least three months to preconception prep for a handful of reasons, such as:
The foods you eat during the 6 months before conception influences your health during pregnancy, as well as baby’s health in utero and into childhood.
It takes about 90 days for an egg to develop and be selected for ovulation so you need at least that amount of time following a fertility diet to make significant changes to egg quality.
Optimizing your nutrition and correcting any nutritional deficiencies can support ovulatory cycles which makes getting pregnant easier.
Some of the key components of baby’s brain are built before you may even know you’re pregnant so having optimal nutrient status before conception is important.
If you’re currently trying to conceive, or just interested in learning how to personalize your diet to support your fertility (now and in the future), check out my interview - Episode 6 of the Hey Mami podcast!
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn
Here are the highlights:
Why preconception nutrition matters
When you should start
What a fertility diet entails
How to support blood sugar balance
Why healthy fats are so good for fertility
My top five fertility foods
If you’d rather read than listen, here’s a link to the episode transcript.
P.s. In addition to tuning into the podcast episode, I encourage you to check out my Hormone Balancing Guide & Cookbook. This digital book was created to guide and support women who are seeking to balance their hormones, regulate their menstrual cycles and boost their fertility. It gives you the information and tools you need to align your lifestyle in a way that nourishes your hormonal system, and provides you with 32 simple and delicious hormone-balancing recipes to make that happen!