Good health and nutrition for conceiving
As soon as you decide to try and become pregnant, having a check up with your doctor to help determine what steps you may still need to take can be helpful. Below is a list of some of the factors that may have an impact on your fertility which may be a part of your doctor’s initial assessment.
Preconception checklist: give yourself a check up!
- Age (yours and your partners)
- Genetic screening
- Gynaecological history
- Obstetric history
- Medical history
- Emotional and social history
- Lifestyle factors
Improving your chances for conception
While some factors such as genetics may be outside of your control, you do have the ability to improve your well-being through certain lifestyles choices, which is a great place to start.
How healthy habits can help you conceive
Getting your body ready for trying for a baby needn’t be too complicated or stressful – for you it’s mostly to do with looking after yourself and preparing your body to create and carry new life. For your partner, it’s all about making sure his sperm are healthy enough to make it to their final destination!
Smoking
A wide variety of negative health effects are associated with either you or your partner smoking. Smoking can not only significantly reduce your chances of conceiving, it can also be potentially harmful to your baby’s development. So, quitting smoking is strongly advised.
If you smoke, talk to your healthcare professional, who will be able to help you get help for quitting. You can also call the QUITline on 0800 778 778 for information and a free ‘Quit Kit’. There are lots of other support services available both locally and nationally to assist you, so for more information you can call always our Advisory service.
Exercise
Being too overweight - or underweight may affect your fertility. Exercise and a well balanced diet will also help you get your body in tip-top shape for trying for a baby. Daily activity is an important part of a lifestyle that promotes well-being. Whether that includes brisk walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, jogging, playing recreational sports, fitness training or aerobics classes is up to you. However, it is always best to discuss any new fitness regimes first with your doctor, and always seek professional advice regarding exercise during pregnancy.
Diet
Diet has been found to play a key role in pre-conceptual health. Good nutrition is also vitally important throughout pregnancy, so you’ll want to develop good eating habits now.
You should limit your intake of highly processed and junk foods that contain high levels of fat, sodium and sugar. Your food choices should include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of proteins and whole grains, and foods that contain polyunsaturated fats such as fish, eggs, nuts or seeds, and avocado.
A well-balanced diet would contain the following:
- Plenty of fruit and vegetables - at least five portions a day and use a variety of colours
- Plenty of whole grain breads and cereals – like wholemeal bread, pasta, rice, oats, whole grains and potatoes
- Daily protein with each meal - such as lean meat and chicken, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts.
Contact one of our advisors here at Kariclub if you would like to talk about nutrition or ideas on improving your current diet.
Nutritional supplements
If you are taking supplements, make sure they're suitable for women trying to conceive. Regular vitamin supplements often contain vitamin A which could be harmful in too large a dose. If you’re unsure, speak to your health care professional.
There are special pre-conception vitamins and minerals available for women trying for a baby, which may be important if you are not getting the nutrition you need from a balanced diet. There are also nutritional supplements for men. If you’re unsure about whether you need one and which ones are best for you, speak to your health care professional.
Folic acid
Folic acid (or folate) is very important when trying to conceive, as it helps prevent some developmental defects, and plays a vital role in cellular development (Remember life starts with a single cell!) Folic acid can be found in some foods, such as fortified breakfast cereals, bananas and leafy green vegetables but it's difficult to get enough every day to match the levels recommended for women planning and starting a family, which is why it’s usually recommended that women start taking a folate supplement before falling pregnant, but always talk to your health care professional first.
Medications
Some medicines can lower your fertility levels, so check with your doctor if you are taking any to see what you should avoid. Also discuss with your doctor if you've recently been using an IUD (intrauterine device) or hormonal injections or implants for contraception.
Stress
Modern lifestyles can often be so stressful that it may affect your body’s capacity to conceive. It will improve your chances of conception if you try to keep stress to a minimum – although it's often easier said than done! Relaxation techniques, going for walks in nature, breathe work, massage, exercise, enjoying time with family and friends and focusing your energies on what matters most may help improve your sense of well-being and contribute to a greater feeling of balance in yourself that will help the process.
Get your partner involved too!
Fathers to be
Of course, how quickly you get pregnant isn't all down to you. Your partner obviously has a very important role to play too! Sperm quality is an important factor to consider. The health of a man’s sperm may be affected by certain environmental factors and it should be kept in mind that sperm can take up to 100 days to properly mature and be ready for their part in conception. Lifestyle factors can affect sperm production and performance, so a father-to-be should really try to:
- Stop smoking and avoid or limit intake of alcohol
- Reduce his stress levels
- Stay away from hazardous work environments as some chemicals can affect his sperm
- Keep his testicles cool: make sure he's got some roomy cotton underpants and ensure his trousers aren’t too tight
- Eat well: plenty of fruit and vegetables will provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C - essential for producing healthy sperm. Foods high in zinc are especially good for virility so he should be eating foods such as seafood, whole foods, meat, eggs and rye bread. Calcium rich dairy foods, iron rich red meat and pulses should also be on the menu
Stay relaxed and enjoy the practice!
The best advice for any couple trying for a baby is to relax and enjoy the practice! Mother Nature often doesn't want to feel rushed or pressurised, so it's a good idea to keep having a fun and loving sexual relationship all month – so you don't begin to only associate sex with making babies and pile the pressure on each other.
Remember, it is always best to discuss your plans for conceiving with your doctor first.