Lifestyle Factors and Fertility: 22 FAQs & Solutions

Reviewed by Lina Akopians, MD, PhD, FACOG

When you’re making an attempt to conceive, it’s regular to marvel how your on a regular basis way of life is perhaps impacting your probabilities of conception. At Beverly Hills Reproductive Center, our sufferers generally ask us: Is my every day latte OK? Am I exercising sufficient — or an excessive amount of? How vital is my weight-reduction plan, actually? We’ve compiled our sufferers’ most typical questions, doctor recommendation, and analysis round these matters to function a useful resource. Whether you’re making ready for IVF in Beverly Hills or simply beginning to develop your loved ones, learn this Q&A to get the newest data.

Diet and Nutrition

What you eat when making an attempt to conceive issues. Certain meals and vitamins might help assist hormone stability, common ovulation, and wholesome sperm. This part breaks down what to eat extra of, what to restrict, and what the science says about sure sorts of meals.

1. What meals assist fertility in women and men?

A Mediterranean-style weight-reduction plan has been linked to raised outcomes in IVF and total fertility. The Mediterranean-style weight-reduction plan emphasizes plant-based meals (fruits, greens, entire grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil) and reasonable consumption of fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. See a list of Mediterranean diet foods and meal ideas.

Antioxidant-rich meals, like berries and leafy greens, have additionally been proven to assist egg and sperm high quality.

2. Are there meals that harm fertility?

High consumption of added sugars, trans fat, and ultra-processed meals have been thought of to disrupt hormones and negatively have an effect on fertility. Swapping sugary drinks and processed snacks for entire meals is an efficient step in your basic well being and fertility outcomes.

3. Is dairy good or unhealthy for fertility?

Moderate dairy consumption doesn’t appear to hurt fertility. Some studies counsel full-fat dairy could also be extra useful than low-fat, however the information is combined. Unless you have got a selected sensitivity, you don’t must keep away from dairy in your fertility.

4. Should I keep away from soy when making an attempt to conceive?

Moderate soy consumption is usually protected. Some individuals fear about phytoestrogens in vegetation, however there’s no robust proof that soy harms fertility when eaten in regular quantities. Some research have truly discovered that soy could have a favorable effect on fertility. 

Our recommendation: Maintain your regular soy consumption. Don’t change your weight-reduction plan to keep away from or add soy. 

5. What ought to males eat to enhance sperm depend and motility?

A nutrient-dense weight-reduction plan helps sperm well being. Key vitamins embody vitamin C, zinc, selenium, folate, and omega-3s. Studies have discovered that antioxidants from vegetables and fruit also can assist.

Substances and Lifestyle Habits

Patients usually marvel to what diploma caffeine, alcohol, or marijuana use truly impacts fertility. Here’s what we advocate primarily based on science and medical expertise.

6. How does caffeine have an effect on fertility?

There’s no clear hyperlink between reasonable caffeine consumption and infertility (lack of ability to conceive). However, excessive ranges of caffeine (greater than 300 mg/day) have been linked to an elevated threat of miscarriage.

Up to 1 cup of espresso a day (about 100-200mg of caffeine) is usually thought of protected when pregnant.

7. Can consuming alcohol have an effect on fertility?

Yes. Alcohol can disrupt hormones and ovulation in ladies and cut back sperm high quality in males. It’s greatest to restrict alcohol when making an attempt to conceive, particularly when you or your companion are present process fertility therapy. Read extra about how alcohol use affects fertility for women and men. 

8. Can males drink whereas making an attempt to conceive?

Occasional consuming (2-3 drinks per week) is unlikely to have a significant affect, however heavy drinking has been shown to have an effect on sperm manufacturing and hormone ranges.

9. Does marijuana have an effect on fertility?

THC can decrease sperm depend and motility in males, and in ladies, it might intervene with ovulation. It’s greatest to keep away from all marijuana merchandise whereas making an attempt to conceive.

10. How does vaping or smoking have an effect on fertility?

Both smoking and vaping can hurt reproductive well being. Smoking is linked to decrease egg and sperm high quality, early menopause, and decrease IVF success charges. Vaping could carry related dangers, although analysis remains to be rising.

11. What about warmth and sperm high quality — are sizzling tubs actually that unhealthy?

Yes. Studies have shown that extended publicity to warmth (reminiscent of from sizzling tubs, saunas, or tight underwear) can impair sperm manufacturing and motility. 

12. How lengthy does it take for way of life adjustments to enhance fertility?

Sperm and egg improvement replicate your well being about 90 days earlier. That’s why we advocate making way of life adjustments no less than 3 months earlier than making an attempt to conceive or starting IVF.

Physical Health, Weight, and Exercise

Your basic well being impacts your fertility greater than many individuals notice. Weight, bodily exercise, and physique composition all play a task in hormone ranges, ovulation, and being pregnant outcomes. Here’s what you need to know.

13. Does being chubby or underweight have an effect on fertility?

Yes. Being considerably underweight can disrupt ovulation, and having a BMI over 30 can cut back your probabilities of success with IVF and improve being pregnant dangers. 

In males, excessive BMI ranges have been associated with low testosterone, impaired sperm well being, and elevated frequency of erectile dysfunction. Talk to your physician a few wholesome vary for you.

14. What sort of train is greatest when making an attempt to conceive?

Moderate train, like strolling, swimming, or yoga, is helpful. During fertility therapies, keep away from vigorous train like operating or high-intensity interval coaching (HIIT) to cut back the danger of problems like ovarian torsion. 

15. Can an excessive amount of train harm fertility?

Yes. Overtraining, particularly if it results in irregular durations, can intervene with ovulation and make it tougher to conceive. 

Mental Health, Stress, and Wellbeing

Stress and fertility have a sophisticated relationship. It’s frequent to really feel anxious or overwhelmed throughout your fertility journey, so be sort to your self when you’re feeling confused. Focus in your psychological well being throughout your fertility journey and prioritize discovering methods to “fill your cup” every day. 

16. Can stress actually trigger infertility?

Chronic stress could intervene with ovulation and hormone stability, however the research have proven combined outcomes. Here’s what we do know: People underneath excessive stress may take longer to conceive, and stress discount strategies might help enhance well-being. 

17. Can anxiousness or melancholy trigger fertility issues?

The particular relationship between anxiousness, melancholy, and infertility is extremely debated. A prognosis of infertility is inherently anxious, so whereas correlation is obvious, causation has not been confirmed.  

Anxiety and melancholy can have an effect on fertility not directly by disrupting hormones, affecting every day way of life habits, or influencing therapy selections. Supportive care, remedy, and mind-body practices can make a difference in being pregnant outcomes.

Environmental Toxins and Fertility

Concern about environmental toxins is on the rise. While proof remains to be evolving, there’s rising suspicion that sure chemical compounds in plastics, cleansing merchandise, and private care gadgets could affect fertility in each women and men.

18. Can environmental toxins hurt fertility?

Endocrine disruptors like BPA, phthalates, and parabens could intervene with hormones and reproductive well being. These are generally present in plastic bottles, meals packaging, and cosmetics. More studies are needed to raised perceive the connection between environmental toxins and fertility. 

19. Can family cleansing merchandise have an effect on fertility?

Some cleansing merchandise like glass cleaners, laundry detergents, air fresheners, and material softeners could comprise chemical compounds linked to reproductive harm. Consider utilizing cleansing merchandise which might be particularly designed to be safer, like merchandise which might be fragrance-free or naturally derived.

20. What are endocrine disruptors and the way do they affect fertility?

These are chemical compounds that mimic or block natural hormones. Over time, they could cut back egg and sperm high quality, making conception harder. Endocrine-disrupting chemical compounds (EDCs) are generally present in plastics, pesticides, and family merchandise like cookware and electronics. 

Learn extra about EDCs and what you can do to cut back your publicity.

Fertility Vitamins and Supplements

Fertility-specific nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements might help put together your physique for being pregnant. Starting early provides your physique time to construct up nutrient shops and will enhance egg and sperm high quality.

21. What nutritional vitamins ought to ladies take when making an attempt to conceive?

Start a prenatal vitamin with folic acid, iron, and vitamin D no less than 3 months earlier than making an attempt to conceive. These vitamins assist early being pregnant and basic reproductive well being.

22. Should males take dietary supplements for fertility?

Antioxidants like CoQ10, vitamin C, and zinc could assist enhance sperm motility and DNA integrity, however proof is restricted. Ask your physician earlier than beginning a brand new routine.

Lifestyle Isn’t the Only Factor

While wholesome habits can assist fertility, they’re solely a part of the image. Sometimes, situations like PCOS, chromosomal abnormalities (aneuploidy), or structural points play a task — and these aren’t issues you’ll be able to management by means of weight-reduction plan or every day routines alone.

If you’ve made adjustments and are nonetheless struggling to conceive, know that fertility is complicated, and it’s okay to get assist. 

Request a consultation to raised perceive what is perhaps affecting your fertility and discover your subsequent steps.