2023-05-30 14:39:37
If you go to any fertility forum on the internet, you will see that probably one of the main topics of discussion revolves around what to eat to maximize your chances of conceiving.
In addition to the myriad of supplements that are promoted as fertility enhancers, there are also a variety of foods that are supposed to help achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Amid all the myth and marketing, what evidence is there that certain foods improve male and female fertility and help the development of the fetus?
For starters, when it comes to supporting a healthy pregnancy and fetus, certain nutrients can really make a difference, such as folic acid.
When taken before and during pregnancy, it has been shown to help prevent both anencephalya birth defect of the baby’s brain, such as spina bifidawhich affects your spine.
Because these defects develop very early in pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of reproductive age take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily.
Fortifying staple foods like cereals with folic acid may offer even more powerful protection, because many pregnancies are unplanned.
It is estimated that in 2019 effective fortification programs prevented 22% of the potential cases of spina bifida and anencephaly preventable with folic acid worldwide.
Folic acid may have an additional benefit: When taken as a supplement by women trying to conceive, it may increase the chance of getting pregnant, although more trials are needed to confirm this.
Reasons for infertility
What about other foods and supplements? Is there such a thing as a “fertility diet” that will maximize the chances of conceiving?
To answer that question, let’s discuss the main reasons for infertility.
In the US, after one year of unprotected sex, 15% of couples are unable to conceive. There is many potential causes.
On the woman’s side, it is possible that the ovaries cannot produce healthy eggs or the egg cannot move from the ovaries to the uterus, for example, because the fallopian tubes are blocked.
Even if the egg makes that journey successfully, it may not attach to the lining of the uterus or may not survive once it has attached.
On the male side, the sperm quality it is crucial for fertility. This includes the ability of sperm to move efficiently (motility), their shape and size (morphology), and how many are in a given amount of semen (count).
A variety of factors can threaten sperm quality, including environmental issues like pollution. Even after testing, the cause of infertility may not always be clear: about 15% of infertility cases remain unexplained.
Adverse consequences of malnutrition
While no single food or supplement works as a quick fix for any of these potential problems, experts say diet can play a role. beneficial role throughout the process of trying to conceive and later.
The most obvious is that being well fed is crucial. The consequences of malnutrition can be devastating for prenatal health.
Arguably the best-known findings in this area come from a study of babies conceived during the so-called “Dutch famine winter” of 1944; an eight-month famine that occurred when the Nazis cut off food supplies to the Netherlands at the end of World War II.
Pregnant women ate just 400 calories a day, a fraction of the amount needed for a healthy pregnancy.
Babies conceived during that period faced a variety of adverse health consequenceswhich included being shorter and slimmer than babies born before or after them, and having smaller heads.
As adults, they had higher rates of obesity, diabetes and schizophrenia, and tended to die younger.
Good nutrients for both
For those who have access to enough food, it’s still important to get the right mix of nutrients. While discussions of beneficial foods often focus on female fertility, there has now been a greater awareness of how fertility Diet can also affect male fertility.
A 2015 study of couples undergoing IVF treatments found that men’s meat consumption, and especially the type of meat they ate, affected outcome, as measured by fertilization rates.
Eating more birds had a positive impact on fertilization rates, while eating processed meat (like bacon and sausage) had a negative impact.
Men who ate the least amount of processed meats, averaging less than 1.5 servings a week, had an 82% chance of achieving a pregnancy with their partner, while men who ate the most meats processed, averaging 4.3 servings a week, had only a 54% chance.
Even after conception, the The father’s diet can indirectly affect the fetus.
A study led by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia has shown that what parents eat has a lasting effect on the future health of their unborn children.
The team analyzed dietary data from nearly 200 couples receiving antenatal care at Australia’s largest maternity hospital, Mater Maternity Hospital, in Brisbane.
The study found that the men’s diet strongly influenced the women’s, and that, in turn, affected the developing baby. Other studies suggest that the weight of the father may have an intergenerational effect, affecting the weight of the child.
“Men’s health and nutrition for fertility is often overlooked but very important,” says Shelley Wilkinson, a dietitian who was one of the study’s authors at the University of Queensland and now works at Lifestyle Maternity, a clinic private company in Australia that specializes in fertility support.
“In fact, it can affect the health of your grandchildren.”
Wilkinson also stresses the importance of addressing any change in partner. “If one person meets the dietary guidelines, the other is more likely to follow the dietary guidelines,” she says.
“We should focus on supporting both women and men to make healthy changes. Otherwise, we are losing half the battle.”
Good fats, plants and zero alcohol
A beneficial change can be increase the amount of fat in the couple’s diet, as long as it is the right type.
Healthy fats are found in nuts, seeds, salmon, avocado, and olive oil. However, trans fatty acids, which can come from natural or industrial sources and are found, for example, in margarine, doughnuts, fried foods, and other processed foods, are associated with an increased risk of infertility.
A diet rich in plants it can also be beneficial. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, in the US, evaluated the diets of a group of 18,555 women over eight years, while trying to get pregnant or when they succeeded.
They found that consuming plant-based proteins like legumes, rather than animal-based proteins like red meat, was associated with a lower risk of ovulatory infertility (50% lower or more).
The authors of a 2021 review of research on the potential link between diet and female fertility concluded that while their recommendations focused on women, “diet and nutritional patterns are certainly important for both male and female fertility.” as feminine”.
The researchers gave a detailed description of the effects of individual nutrients and the foods that contain them.
They also emphasized the importance of involving a clinical dietitian in the care of couples planning a pregnancy.
Broadly speaking, they recommend foods like vegetables, fruits, pasta and whole wheat bread (for carbohydrates); sources of healthy fats such as blue Fish; and legumes, eggs and lean meat like proteins.
They also pointed to the important role of certain nutrients that can sometimes be overlooked: among them is iodine, that helps the correct development of the fetus and the thyroid function of the expectant mother.
Regarding alcohol, the advice is clear and consistent throughout the investigation. The CDC states: “There is no known safe amount of alcohol to consume during pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant.”
This applies to all types of alcohol, including all wines and beer. The advice is avoid it completely.
Beware of exaggerating
If you have any concerns or questions about your diet and how it might affect your fertility, it’s best to consult your health care provider.
And while certain foods appear to play a positive role in fertility, it’s important not to overstate their power.
Infertility is complex, as are its causes. Worrying about diet can cause unnecessary stress, as well as feelings of guilt and shame. Those who are having difficulty conceiving can rest assured that the problem is unlikely to be due to a specific thing they did or did not eat.
Wilkinson says that people with fertility problems often look for a single fertility-promoting food, but it’s best to aim for a general pattern of healthy eating.
“There’s a lot of talk in fertility chat rooms that pineapple is some kind of magic food if you’re trying to get pregnant. However, there is no single food or supplement that works like this.”
*All content in this article consists of general information and should not be treated as a substitute for medical advice from healthcare professionals.
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