Health and nutrition

There is no ifs and buts about it, a healthy, balanced diet can help you conceive. For both men and women, food and fertility are interlinked, so if your partner thinks it’s all down to you, remind him that he is also making a contribution!

A healthy diet means eating lots of wholesome foods, such as fruit, vegetables, grains (wholemeal bread and pasta) and calcium-rich products (yogurt, milk and cheese) every day. You need to embark on a healthy eating plan together as key nutrients like folic acid, together with vitamin C, E and zinc which are also essential to make healthy sperm. Your partner should quit smoking and cut down alcohol too. It’s also recommended to limit caffeine as some experts believe it affects fertility. And, above all, look after your health - if you have lost a lot of weight or are overweight, you might not ovulate regularly.

Pregnancy supplements are often recommended by doctors - even if your diet is perfect, your baby can use any extra goodness coming their way. Vitamins also boost your chances of getting pregnant. Taking a supplement doesn’t mean you can forgo a healthy diet, supplements are not a replacement for it. If you are vegetarian, ask your doctor about extra protein and vitamin D and B12 supplements.

Whichever supplement you go for, ensure it contains at least 400mcg of folic acid in a daily dose. Folic acid has been proven to lower the risk of birth defects and conditions such as diabetes, stroke and cancer. You can also eat folate-rich foods like dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale), citrus fruits, nuts, legumes and wholegrains. Steam your veg rather than boiling them as folate is water soluble so will leak out into the cooking water during boiling.

Because women are already 4-6 weeks pregnant by the time the little blue line appears on the pregnancy test it’s best to avoid high-mercury fish, such as shark, swordfish, and fresh tuna fish while trying to conceive. Mercury can accumulate in your body and even linger for over a year! However, oily fish is important to include in your diet so choose salmon, trout and herring frequently.

Also include starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, pasta, rice and bread (choose wholegrain versions if possible). Protein, present in lean meat, poultry, eggs, pulses, beans,and nuts is also important.

Being active really helps. Discuss with your doctor a safe exercise routine and, if you are overweight, ask for professional advice as most diets will deplete your body of essential nutrients.