Nutrition

• Diet
• Caffeine
• Alcohol

Diet

We all know that what we put into our bodies can influence everything we are and become. Generally, what is good for general health will be good for fertility health.

There is no universally accepted theory about diet and fertility. There are just too many different dietary regimes to date that suggests possible benefits on fertility. The reality is that everyone is different and the individual must be taken into consideration. There is not ONE diet that will suit all.

The general principles of eating for fertility includes a well balanced diet, high in fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grain better than refined carbohydrate, lower in processed sugars, lower in animal derived fats (except fish) and higher in good proteins and fats, like nuts and fish oil.

The general consensus leans towards the Mediterranean diet - high in fresh vegetables and lower in animal fats and higher in good plant and fish fats.

If you have concerns about your diet or wish to look more closely at what can be supplemented in your diet, you can see your GP or a dietician or nutritionist to discuss further.

Caffeine

Coffee has become an integral part of many of our lives, and is a topic of great concerns to many while trying for pregnancy.

There is so much inconclusive and conflicting information that care needs to be taken about drawing definitive conclusions.

The more reliable data so far suggests that excessive caffeine intake can increase time to pregnancy and increase miscarriages and stillbirth. This seems to be a dose relationship, where more coffee drinking can lead to more negative effects.

Caffeine can affect women's hormone level and men's sperm health

A study found women who drinks less than 1 cup of coffee a day are twice as likely to fall pregnant each time they try, when compared with women who drank more than 1 cup a day . And the more coffee she drinks, the less likely she is to fall pregnant. So while this study may raise concerns about coffee drinking while you're trying to fall pregnant, it does also show that women who drink coffee moderately can still fall pregnant in the normal span of time.

Another study found men who drink more than 2 cups of coffee a day are found to have a higher miscarriage rates in their partners.

In summary , the link between coffee drinking and fertility is far from clear, but there may be negative effects. Therefore the safest thing to do is to stop drinking coffee while trying for pregnancy. But if you can’t stop, it is good to limit to no more than 1 cup of coffee a day for women and 2 cups o coffee a day for men.

Alcohol

The current national NHMRC guidelines for safe alcohol intake is no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and no more than 4 at one sitting. When you are trying for pregnancy, an even lower intake is advised. Overconsumption of alcohol can negatively effect your health as well as the development of the baby. It can also affect sperm count in men.

There is no established safe level for alcohol consumption while trying for pregnancy and during pregnancy. What this means is that there is no consumption level above which we know is bad and below which is ok. Therefore, it is best to avoid alcohol while you're trying for pregnancy or during pregancy, if you can.

If you can't maintain abstinence from alcohol, then risk minimisation and moderation is the key. If you have any concerns about your alcohol intake and what you can do about it, you can see your GP to discuss this further.