Can nutrition really improve my chances of getting pregnant?
Can nutrition really improve my chances of getting pregnant?
Yes!
And the research to support this is substantial, growing, and coming from some of the world's most respected institutions.
Nutrition influences fertility at every level: your hormone production, egg quality, ovulation, implantation, uterine environment, and even the success of assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. What you eat is not a peripheral lifestyle factor, it is a core biological input into your reproductive system.
What the research shows
A large cohort study following 17,544 women planning a pregnancy found that those with the highest adherence to a pro-fertility diet had a 66% lower risk of ovulatory disorder infertility and a 27% lower risk of infertility due to other causes, compared to women with the lowest adherence. PubMed Central This research, conducted by Harvard researchers Chavarro and Willett, is among the most cited in reproductive nutrition.
A separate prospective cohort of 22,786 women found a positive association between following a Mediterranean-style diet and improved fertility. Studies also show that healthy dietary patterns increase the chances of live birth among women using assisted reproductive technology. PubMed Central
A study from the Food, Lifestyle and Fertility Outcome Project found that a diet rich in fish, legumes, and vegetables was associated with a 40% increase in the chance of pregnancy via IVF/ICSI. PubMed Central
The connection between diet and fertility is now strong enough that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine updated its guidance in 2022 to highlight the role of nutrition in optimising natural fertility. Women & Infants Fertility Center
How nutrition affects your fertility specifically
Nutrition influences your fertility through several interconnected pathways:
Ovulation and hormonal balance: A diet high in trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars can negatively affect fertility, while a diet rich in dietary fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, plant-based protein, vitamins and minerals has a measurable positive impact. PubMed Central
Egg quality: Nutritional factors influence not only oocyte maturation but also the quality of embryos and the efficiency of implantation. PubMed Central Antioxidants in particular play a key role in protecting eggs from oxidative damage.
Gut and microbiome health: An unhealthy diet can disrupt microbiota composition, and the composition of the gut microbiota may correlate with the frequency of infertility PubMed Central an emerging and important area of fertility research.
IVF and ART outcomes: Women adhering to a pro-fertility diet characterised by vitamin D, B12, folic acid, whole grains, soy foods, dairy, fruits and vegetables showed an increased likelihood of live birth after assisted reproductive technology. Frontiers
Couples fertility: Infertility involves a male factor 50% of the time UCLA Health, and nutrition supports sperm health just as powerfully as egg health making it worthwhile for both partners to optimise their diet together.
What works against your fertility
While trying to conceive, both partners should limit added sugars found in sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods, heavy alcohol use, high levels of caffeine, and red and processed meat high in saturated fat. UCLA Health
When to start
If you are trying to conceive, start thinking about preconception nutrition early,ideally three months ahead of time. This is when supplements like folic acid or prenatal vitamins become especially important. Sometimes, bloodwork during a fertility workup can uncover nutrient deficiencies that may be interfering with pregnancy. Women & Infants Fertility Center Because egg maturation takes approximately 90 days, changes you make today are influencing the eggs that will be available to you in three months' time.
The bottom line
Nutrition alone cannot overcome every fertility challenge, and anyone who tells you otherwise is oversimplifying. But the evidence is clear that what you eat profoundly shapes the hormonal, cellular, and immune environment your body needs to conceive and sustain a pregnancy. A personalised, root-cause nutritional approach, one that accounts for your unique health history, deficiencies, and goals is one of the most evidence-backed steps you can take on your fertility journey.
Sources: PMC8634384 (Female Fertility and the Nutritional Approach, 2021); PMC5826784 (Diet and Fertility Review, PMC); Frontiers in Nutrition 2022; Food, Lifestyle and Fertility Outcome Project; American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2022 guidelines; UCLA Health 2023; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2024.