How to improve your fertility

If you’re trying for a baby, your lifestyle can support your fertility health. It’s an important part of the recipe that brings healthy sperm and eggs together.

So whether you're trying to conceive naturally or with fertility treatment, try these ten tips from our fertility experts to boost your fertility at home.

Changing your weight may sound challenging, but you don't need to do it overnight.

Small changes in your calorie intake and activity levels can help you shift the scales over a couple of months.

Avoid 'yo-yo' diets or extreme approaches.

These can send your body into stress mode and spike your cortisol levels.

Other tips on this page can also help with a healthier BMI.

2. Quit smoking

If you're a smoker, you might be tired of hearing health warnings.

But the facts are that cigarette smoke damages your fertility.

We know it’s not easy to kick the habit, but it’s worth it.

• Cadmium and cotinine are two toxins in tobacco smoke that reduce sperm quality and egg production 

• Smoking damages DNA, which reduces fertilisation success, and increases the risk of pregnancy loss

• For women, smoking reduces the chance of getting pregnant by up to 40%

• For male fertility, smoking lowers sperm quality

Vaping is thought to reduce fertility too.

But it’s a new trend, so more evidence and long-term data are needed.

If you're trying to conceive, now is the perfect time to quit.

Your fertility can improve within weeks or months, and it sets you up for a more healthy pregnancy and parenthood.

A word of caution. There is a growing market in alcohol alternatives including CBD-infused drinks and alcohol-free mood-boosting drinks.

There's not enough evidence to know how these impact fertility, but experts strongly advise avoiding CBD products before and during pregnancy.

Some alcohol-free alternatives are just vitamin-based drinks or juices.

These should be safe to consume during pregnancy, but we recommend doing your research on the ingredients first to be sure.

4. Check your medication

Some medications can impact your fertility and are not suitable to take if you’re trying to get pregnant.

If you regularly take prescription or over-the-counter medication, check with your pharmacist or GP.

Medications affecting female fertility include:

• Long-term or high doses of NSAIDs like ibuprofen and aspirin

• Antipsychotic medicines

• Spironolactone (aka Aldactone), a medicine for fluid retention that can temporarily reduce fertility

Medications affecting male fertility include:

• Anabolic steroids, which are synthetic hormones for medical or personal use

• Some herbal remedies - cottonseed extract (Gossypol) or Thunder God vine extract (Tripterygium wilfordii)

• Sulfasalazine (aka Azulfidine) – an anti-inflammatory medicine that can temporarily reduce sperm

Illegal drugs may also affect fertility.

6. Eat more vegetables and whole foods

A balanced diet means your body has all the nutrients it needs to make sperm and eggs or get ready to carry a pregnancy.

It can also help you reach your healthy BMI target.

Sadly, there are no magic ingredients or fertility superfoods.

Eating a wide range of healthy foods is what health professionals recommend.

A healthy diet includes:

• Ideal calorie intake (not too high or too low)

• Wholegrain foods, which are usually the brown versions of your staples – like brown rice, brown pasta, and brown bread

• Lentils and beans

• Unsaturated fats like nuts, oily fish, and seeds

• Full-fat dairy such as milk or yoghurt

7. Boost your vitamins

As with diet, there’s not much evidence for any specific 'fertility vitamins'.

All you need is your regular daily vitamins to avoid deficiencies and maintain overall health.

There's no need to spend a fortune on obscure vitamins and health supplements, as this is unlikely to change your fertility.

Supplementing certain vitamins affects the absorption of other vitamins, and can cause vitamin deficiencies.

Only take supplements under the guidance of a health professional.

To promote fertility and a healthy pregnancy, you can:

• Take a general daily multivitamin or prenatal vitamin, like well-woman or well-man. These are formulated to include the right number of vitamins. Look for a brand that includes antioxidants, Omega 3, zinc, and selenium.

• Take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months

• Take 400 micrograms (µg) of folic acid before pregnancy and during the first 12 weeks

9. Keep the swimmers cool

It may sound strange, but keeping the testicles at the right temperature may help with male fertility.

Sperm are surprisingly sensitive to temperature.

It helps to:

• Wear loose clothing and/or thermal-regulating clothing

• Avoid hot showers, baths, saunas and Jacuzzis

• Avoid cycling or long-distance running

• Keep your laptop off your lap

• Take regular breaks outside if you work in a hot environment