There are numerous books on nutrition for pre-pregnancy and pregnancy, and there is no one diet that has been conclusively shown to promote fertility. It is common sense that nutritionally empty diets, especially those that promote obesity, are clearly harmful to conception. The fact is, diets lacking in essential vitamins and minerals can have consequences beyond infertility, such as very poor pregnancy outcomes and malnourished babies.

One article from the Netherlands* looked at the diets of women undergoing IVF. They measured blood levels and follicular fluid levels of some essential vitamins and minerals in these women. To paraphrase their findings: In women, two dietary patterns were identified. The "health conscious–low processed" dietary pattern was characterized by high intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains and low intakes of snacks, meats, and mayonnaise, and positively correlated with red blood cell folate (β = 0.07). The "Mediterranean" dietary pattern that is, high intakes of vegetable oils, vegetables, fish, and legumes and low intakes of snacks, was positively correlated with red blood cell folate (β = 0.13), and vitamin B6 in blood (β = 0.09) and follicular fluid (β = 0.18). High adherence to the "Mediterranean" diet increased the probability of pregnancy by 40%. Their conclusion was "A preconception "Mediterranean" diet by couples undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment contributes to the success of achieving pregnancy."

So avoiding environmental toxins and eating a healthy (possibly "Mediterranean") diet may be helpful for general health, fertility and pregnancy, but what are the specifics? What to avoid? What to include? For some very general guidelines, see below. For more comprehensive help, we recommend the book "Fertility and Conception" by Dr. Karen Trewinnard*.

What to Avoid:

1. Drinking from plastic water bottles.
2. Microwaving food in plastic (and especially stryofoam) containers
3. Pesticides and herbicides – whenever possible, buy organic, when not possible, wash fruits and vegetables well
4. Heavy metals such as lead (soldering, stripping old paint from walls), mercury (in high-food chain fish) and cadmium (cigarettes, solder materials, pesticides)
5. White foods: too much white bread, refined sugar, white rice, potatoes
6. Too much salt and butter, fried foods
7. Caffeine – it's a blood vessel constrictor
8. Alcohol – it's dehydrating and metabolites can be toxic but one or two glasses of wine or beer when not pregnant can be permitted.

What to Include:

1. Olive oil rather than butter
2. Fish that do not contain mercury (e.g. salmon, most shellfish, halibut, flounder)
3. Organically-grown fresh fruit and vegetables
4. Whole grains
5. Omega-3 Fish oils
6. Anti-oxidants such as blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes (lycopene)
7. Pre-conception and pre-natal vitamins containing at least 800 mcg folic acid and 2000 IU of Vitamin D3
8. Plenty of fresh water – stay hydrated!

To learn more about Pacific Fertility Center, visit the website.

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1. The preconception Mediterranean dietary pattern in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment increases the chance of pregnancy. Fertility and SterilityVolume 94, Issue 6, Pages 2096-2101, November 2010.Marijana Vujkovic, B.Sc.Jeanne H. de Vries, Ph.D.Jan Lindemans, Ph.D.Nick S. Macklon, Ph.D.Peter J. van der Spek, Ph.D. Eric A.P. Steegers, Ph.D., Régine P.M. Steegers-Theunissen, Ph.D.
2. Fertility and Conception – The essential guide to natural ways to boost your fertility and conceive a healthy baby – from learning your fertility signals to adopting a healthier lifestyle. By Dr. Karen Trewinnard BM FFSRH, Carroll and Brown Publishers, Ltd.