A couple trying or planning for a pregnancy should consider seeing a fertility doctor for a “pre conceptional management”. It is important to know what you can do to optimize your chances of a successful pregnancy. For example, certain medications and habits like alcohol, smoking, tobacco intake are harmful to the developing foetus and should be stopped well before planning a pregnancy. Certain conditions like Thyroid problems, Diabetes, Hypertension should be well controlled before attempting to conceive. Also, few supplements like folic acid and antioxidants if started for both the partners can help achieve the goal of a faster conception and healthy pregnancy. When it comes to preconception management, the role of ‘fertility diet’ cannot be ignored.
These recommendations are meant for enhancing natural fertility in the form of proper ovulation and correction of mild sperm abnormalities. However a detailed evaluation and targeted treatment is always advisable for long standing infertility and issues like tubal factor infertility, uterine factors, severe ovulatory and sperm dysfunctions . But one thing is definite that a healthy lifestyle will never go wasted. It can definitely help improving results in most of the cases. Also, it’s virtually free, available to everyone, can be done at home, has no side effects, sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. That’s just like a win situation either way.
DO’S AND DON’TS
Avoid Trans fats. These fats are commonly found in packed foods like chips, cookies etc. They decrease the chances of conceiving as well as have a negative impact on the heart and blood vessels. Say NO to TRANS FATS.
Use proteins from a vegetable source. A serving of vegetable proteins each day with beans, peas, soybeans, kidney beans, chana, tofu, nuts can improve fertility. Increasing protein content in your diet while decreasing carbohydrates also helps you gain a desirable weight.
More fiber, less carbohydrates. Choosing foods that are rich in fiber, like whole grains, salads, leafy vegetables, skinned fruits, and beans, instead of rapidly digested simple sugars can improve fertility by controlling blood sugar and insulin levels.
Make it whole milk. If you drink milk, choose whole milk while trying to get pregnant or full-fat yogurt every day.
Start preconceptional vitamins/ folic acid (with doctor’s prescription). Taking folic acid supplementation (recommended 400 micrograms a day but available in India as 5 mg) before you get pregnant could actually help reduce the chances of early pregnancy losses.
Iron-rich diet. Extra iron from plant sources, like whole-grain cereals, spinach, beans, tomatoes, and beetroot, help boost natural fertility. It also improves hemoglobin levels in blood.
Drink lots of water: Drink plenty of water or fluids, that is the mantra.
Drinks to avoid: Caffeinated drinks like Coffee and tea are allowed in moderation but excess consumption at any one point or for a long duration is not good as these have cumulative effect. Avoid sugared sodas, packaged juices, canned drinks with artificial flavours and concentrated sugars. Avoid alcohol, smoking and tobacco in any form.
Weigh healthy. Weighing too much or too less, Both can cause hormonal disturbances and disrupt normal menstrual patterns by impairing ovulation. The ideal range is a body-mass index (BMI) of 19 to 24.9. Try to achieve the targeted BMI rather than a target weight. Reducing 5-10 % of body weight over 6 months, can actually help almost 50% of women regain ovulation regularly. Also, obese women have a higher risk of complications. This holds good for men as well.
Regular exercise to stay active and fertile. Daily exercise can help improve fertility, not just for overweight and obese but also for lean thin men and women. Rigorous exercise and rapid weight loss should be avoided as it can be counterproductive.
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