Fertility checklist

When you are trying to conceive there are a few simple measures to take that can improve your chances each month.

DO:

Eat a healthy balanced diet, around, 6 to 11 servings of breads and cereals, Vegetables: 3 to 5 servings, 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 2 to 3 servings of meats ans nuts, Dairy: 2 to 3 servings, Fats, oils and sweets in small amounts. For a more detailed list of nutritional needs for fertility and in pregnancy see the pregnancy nutrition guide

Ensure that "dad-to -be" also has a healthy balanced diet, a good amount of some vitamins and minerals such as zinc is beleived to aid male fertility.

Make sure that both of you have a good calcium intake each day.

DONT:

Start on an over strict or heavily restricted diet, this is damaging for your health in general but in terms of fertility it can decrease your chances of coinceiving each month by disrupting ovulation.

 Put on too much weight before TTC, being severly over wieght or obese can impact your fertility (although being obese does not in general mean that you are infertile). For more information see our healthy weight chart.

Drink too much alcohol! .Alcohol has been shown to decrease fertility in each cycle by a significant amount and should not be drunk during pregnancy.

Smoke or drink

Have too much caffeine.