Diet

Diet and infertility: Eating properly improves the odds

You can’t eat your way to fertility, but eating well and keeping yourself at a healthy weight can make a difference. About 12 percent of infertility cases result from women weighing too much or too little according to RESOLVE, the American National Infertility Association.

So what’s the good news? Following a few simple, common sense rules for good nutrition can actually improve your chances of conceiving.

Start by eating more fresh fruit and vegetables. This helps in two ways:

You’ll naturally consume fewer calories

You’ll increase your intake of the nutrients your body needs

Eating fruit for dessert is a good start!

Second, eliminate alcohol. Even light drinking can impair conception, and as you know, if you do conceive, alcohol can harm the foetus. And just think of the calories you are eliminating!

Some studies have linked caffeine to infertility, but more recent ones indicate that moderate consumption – up to about three cups of coffee a day – shouldn’t hurt.

If you have an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating, tell your fertility specialist. These conditions can impair your chances of conceiving.

If you’re on a diet to lose weight, talk to your physician about finding one that’s not too strict. Losing weight is a laudable goal, but an overly restrictive diet may impair your fertility. So don’t deprive yourself.