How can I improve my fertility health?
Here are some general advice to improve your fertility and optimise your pre-conceptual care:
Achieving your ideal BMI
| - Being overweight or obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) >25kg/m2) reduces fertility and often affects ovulation
- Being underweight (BMI <19kg/m2) may also result in irregular menstruation resulting in reduced fertility
|
| Healthy diet | - Eating a healthy balanced diet rich in vitamin-rich fruits and leafy greens as well as fibre-rich foods such as whole grains and nuts containing mono-unsaturated fats will help to ensure the body is in optimum condition for conception and pregnancy
|
| Exercise | - Increasing physical activity and losing weight to achieve a BMI between 19-25kg/m2 can help to increase the chance of conception and improve overall well-being
|
| Alcohol | - For women trying to get pregnant, the safest advice is to not drink alcohol at all. However, if you do drink, limit it to no more than 2 units of alcohol per week and avoid binge drinking in order to reduce risk of harm to the developing foetus
- Alcohol has also been shown to be affect sperm quality
|
| Smoking | - Both active and passive smoking have been associated with reduced fertility in women
- It may also reduce semen quality in men
|
| Caffeine intake | - There is no consistent evidence of association of consumption of caffeinated beverages with fertility problems
- General advice is to consume in moderation
|
| Occupation | - Exposure to occupational hazards can reduce both male and female fertility
- If you are concerned about potential hazards, seek advice from your doctor
|
| Folic acid | - Recommended dose of folic acid is 400mcg (0.4mg) per day prior to conception up to 12 weeks gestation. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects
- A higher dose of 5mg is recommended for women with a previous history of having a baby affected by neural tube defects or for women who have medical problems like diabetes or epilepsy on medications or have a BMI of more than 30.
|
