07 Jan 7 Key Tips To Get Fertility Fit!
Trying for a baby is an exciting time . Many couples who come through my fertility clinic often ask me ‘what tips can I give them to improve their chances of a baby?’ This is a great time for both you and your partner to start taking a good look at your overall health, modify your lifestyle to give yourself the best chance of conceiving. The World Health Organisation WHO states that preconception care has many benefits and reduces the risk of problems in pregnancy.
Below are 7 key pre-conception care steps that will help you and your partner get fertility fit!
1. Exercise
Now is a great the time to incorporate moderate levels of exercise at least 4-5 times per week. Running, cycling, gym workout or a nice brisk walk around your local park. The aim is to be in the healthy weight range for your body – being underweight or overweight can affect fertility. other benefits include an overall sense of wellbeing, more energy, reduction in stress and hopefully improve your sex life.
2. Eat a healthy balanced diet rich in anti-oxidants
Eating a balanced diet is important in supporting a healthy body and providing good nutrition especially when pregnant. Eat a balanced diet from the five food groups, especially those high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants act as scavengers removing nasty free radicals that can impact on fertility. Examples of Anti-oxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, garlic, folic acid, lycopene. Foods containing these include leafy green veggies, tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, nuts, fish.
3. Be the Ideal weight for fertility and pregnancy
An ideal BMI is between 20 and 24. Studies have shown that it is much harder to conceive when your BMI is greater than 25. Additional studies have demonstrated that by losing just 5% to 10% of your weight will improve your chances of ovulation and subsequent pregnancy.
4. Start a vitamin Supplement containing folic acid(folate) and Iodine
This important vitamin B group vitamin has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of a neural tube defect such as Spina bifida in developing baby. Folate also has a role in boosting fertility. It plays a role in egg development, implantation and placentation. Infertility is associated with vitamin B12 and folate deficiency. The recommended daily intake for women trying to conceive is 400 micrograms or more commencing one month prior to conceiving and continued through- out your pregnancy.
Iodine supplementation is important for fetal brain development. You can get both these nutrients in a pre-conception vitamin tablet in any pharmacy.
5. If you are smoking-stop
There is no safe level of smoking. Studies show that women smokers have lower fertility compared to that of non-smokers. In couples undergoing fertility treatment studies show pregnancy success rates are also reduced, with a higher miscarriage and stillbirth rate.
While men who smoke may have reduced semen volume and sperm count and more abnormal sperm compared to non or ex-smokers. Toxins found in tobacco smoke, such as cadmium, nicotine, lead and radioactive elements may directly affect the testes and sperm production.
6. Reduce your alcohol consumption
The National Health and Medical Research Council NH&MRC recommends that men and women drink no more than five standard drinks per week for couples wanting to conceive. Also, due to the difficulty in knowing what is a safe level for a pregnant woman to drink, the recommendation is no drinking at all during pregnancy.
Excess drinking can result in miscarriage or stillbirth and puts baby at risk of disabilities, behavioural problems and slow growth. Excess alcohol is also fattening and often accompanied by other unhealthy lifestyles such as poor diet and nutritional deficiencies.
7. Improve your Vitamin D intake
The evidence for vitamin D and fertility is getting stronger. Vitamin D is important for our bones especially when pregnant, and is important for testosterone and sperm production , plus libido. Getting out into the sun is one way to increase your vitamin D levels, the other is through a supplement.
