Effect of diet on fertility

The consumption of the “fertility diet” comprised of higher monounsaturated to trans-fat ratio, high percentage of protein from vegetable rather than animal sources, low glycemic index carbohydrates, high fat dairy foods, and use of iron and multivitamin supplements, maintains lower risk of infertility related to ovulatory disorders and also improves semen parameters among men. Women who have Mediterranean-style diet, which similarly includes high intake of vegetables, fish, and polyunsaturated oils, seeking less medical help for fertility problems. Mediterranean diet also has benefits on achieving clinical pregnancy and live birth and it improves measures of semen quality, including morphology, motility, and concentration. Certain types of fish that are high in mercury should be avoided, while acknowledging that a high-polyunsaturated diet as given by fish is desirable.

The first investigations show that red meat may have an adverse effect on fertility. In contrast to polyunsaturated fats, saturated fat content, which is high in red meat, has independently been associated with lower semen concentration in males. Higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with significantly more favorable sperm morphology. Higher levels of omega-6, linoleic acid, and omega-3 in women’s diet provide a higher incidence of pregnancy. According to the results of some researches consuming 3 or more servings of soda per day and high quantity of sugar is associated with female infertility. High consumption of sugar is also another factor that disturbing the semen parameters of men. Another dietary content, which is frequently discussed and researched, is caffeine. Female fertility does not appear to be affected by caffeine intake less than 200 mg per day, even for women undergoing IVF therapy. Therefore, women contemplating pregnancy probably can have one or two 6 to 8 ounce cups of coffee per day without negatively impacting their ability to conceive. Moderate alcohol consumption <2>