Healthy eating habits/Eating for Optimal Fertility

Wendy Fedele

How to use this guide
This guide is divided into two sections: Preconception Nutrition: What's HOT! Preconception Nutrition: What's NOT!
 * This section describes some nutrition related factors that promote fertility or are critical for a healthy baby.
 * This section describes nutrition related factors that have a negative impact on fertility.

To get the most out of this guide, click on the embedded links to external resources, which provide further information.

Preconception Nutrition: Why is it so important?
Within any given menstrual cycle, healthy couples only have a 25-30 % chance of conceiving, which is why it is critical that couples wishing to conceive ensure that they are doing everything they can to maximise their chances of conceiving. Our eating habits are one of the few factors within our control that impact not only our chances of falling pregnant, but also affect the health of the baby. In general, a healthy diet for optimal fertility follows the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, which stems from the Australian Dietary Guidelines, however there are a few key foods, nutrients and related factors that women who are wishing to fall pregnant should focus on.

A diet for optimal fertility: The checklist:
and ensure you are eating enough food to match your activity levels;
 * 1) Maintain a healthy body weight
 * 1) Ensure you are consuming enough iron by choosing lean meat, fish and protein, as well as plant based sources such as wholegrains, legumes and vegetables;
 * 2) Consume a wide variety of fruit and vegetables to ensure a good intake of antioxidants as well as folate;
 * 3) Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol;
 * 4) Ensure you are consuming enough folate before you attempt to fall pregnant. Choose foods naturally rich in folate as well as foods with added folate such as commercially sold bread, and consider a folate supplement if necessary.