DISCLAIMER: The following post is not intended to act as medical advice. As always, please consult your doctor with any questions about fertility.
When it comes to starting or growing your family, it can be really difficult to “sit and wait” and see what happens each month. It’s normal to want to know if there is anything else you can do to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
When talking about fertility, it’s important to remember that every person’s situation is unique. However, if you have been looking for ways to improve your fertility naturally, this is the post for you.
Our friends from Michigan Center for Fertility and Women’s Health are here to support you on your fertility journey. You might have caught their Fertility Friday series over on our IG page–quick videos to answer common questions and provide information. Below, they’re sharing how to try to improve fertility naturally.
How can I improve my fertility naturally?
We’re seeing it more and more–patients wanting to know what they can do on their own to help improve their fertility. It’s great that people are interested in, and willing to try, other interventions on their own–in addition to what we recommend medically in the office. There are five ways to help naturally improve your fertility; here are our five suggestions:
1. Aim for a healthy body weight with a BMI that’s not too low and not too elevated.
Regarding specific ranges, there are general recommendations, but these can vary per patient depending on multiple factors. When reviewing BMI ranges, our practitioners will consider these variables and help determine what specific range is most applicable to each individual patient.
2. Incorporate some exercise into your daily lifestyle.
Patients can feel intimidated about exercise–especially if they are not currently participating in any form of activity. Incorporating exercise into your life does not require going to the gym every single day for an hour each time. Working to incorporate 30 minutes or so at least three to four times a week can really be beneficial for your overall health and fertility–even if it’s taking a walk or adding in a quick workout at home throughout the day in smaller increments. Exercise can be a great benefit for fertility purposes, as well as for your general health.
3. Look into vitamins and supplements.
We do typically recommend that all of our female patients be on a prenatal vitamin. There are also additional vitamins that we may incorporate such as vitamin D, antioxidants, or other supplements that have been shown to potentially help with egg quality (such as Coenzyme Q10 and Truniagen). Our providers will help determine what supplements are recommended and best for you as a patient.
We also have a vitamin list for our male patients. Our providers also help determine if these vitamins are of benefit, pending the results of their work up and history.
4. Eat a balanced diet.
Typically, the primary diet recommended for fertility purposes is the Mediterranean diet, which is usually high in vegetables, plants, fruits, and lean proteins such as fish and chicken. Carbohydrates are included but tend to be in moderation; aim for lower glycemic index foods and more fiber-rich foods that our bodies can more easily digest. Overall, the general carbohydrate and sugar intake is limited.
A Mediterranean diet is generally high in antioxidants, which has been shown to have a positive impact on fertility, as well as general health!
5. Be mindful of your lifestyle choices.
Certainly, no tobacco use, no recreational drug use, and alcohol in moderation. Choices that are good for our overall health are typically also beneficial to our fertility health. These positive choices can help with the overall success of getting and staying pregnant, and help improve our egg and sperm quality.
In summary: maintain a healthy weight, exercise, take vitamins, and pay attention to your dietary and lifestyle choices. These are five things that you can incorporate right off the bat on your own to help improve your fertility when you begin your journey.
