What Foods to Eat & Avoid When Trying to Conceive

A healthy, nutritious diet is important throughout every stage of life, but when you’re trying to conceive, it becomes even more key. A healthy balanced diet is especially important when trying for a baby – it isn’t just to prepare your body for pregnancy and support conception, but also to ensure that if you do fall pregnant, your body can provide all the right nutrients for you and the growing foetus. Read about the best foods to eat when trying to conceive.

Diet And Nutrition When Trying for a Baby

Women who are trying for a baby should adopt a diet that is healthy, varied and balanced, including plenty of starchy foods, a wide range of colourful fruits and vegetables, protein sources and some dairy.

As with the general population, food and drinks that contain high amounts of fat and sugar should be limited.

The basics of a healthy lifestyle when you’re trying for a baby are the same for women and men:

• Consume a balanced and varied diet, rich in vitamins and minerals
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables (at least 5 portions each day) to boost vitamin and mineral intakes
• Choose iron rich protein foods such as lean meats, eggs, beans and lentils
• Try to include one portion of oily fish each week, e.g. salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines
• Avoid shark, swordfish and marlin, and limit tuna (fresh and canned) due to high mercury content
• Include low fat dairy foods every day for extra calcium, such as low fat milk and yoghurts
• Choose healthier snacks, such as fresh fruit, dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereals
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Give up smoking
• Be active on most days
• Have your Rubella antibodies checked by your GP
• Drink lots of water
• Take time for both physical activities and mental wellbeing, focusing on reducing stress and building emotional resilience

Maintaining a healthy weight is important when you are thinking about trying for a baby. Aim for a BMI of 20-24. NHS advice is that if you are overweight - having a BMI over 25, or obese - having a BMI over 30 - you might experience problems with getting pregnant, and that being overweight or obese also raises the risk of some pregnancy problems such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes.

In addition to a healthy diet, women who are planning to conceive should:

• Take a 400µg folic acid supplement and choose foods rich in folates from before conception until at least the twelfth week of pregnancy. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status and contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. Low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus. Read more about why folic acid is important before and during pregnancy
• Avoid too much vitamin A, as this can potentially be harmful to the baby
• Take a daily supplement of 10µg vitamin D, as advised by the UK Department of Health for everyone, including during pregnancy and breast-feeding, to help maintain normal bones and teeth
• Take at least 2.5µg vitamin B12, which contributes to normal red blood cell formation.

In addition to eating a healthy diet, some women also choose to take a multivitamin and mineral that is specifically designed for preconception, such as Pregnacare Conception.

You should avoid taking regular multivitamins as these may contain vitamin A and insufficient folic acid and vitamin D.

Pregnancy-specific supplements such as the Vitabiotics Pregnacare range of pregnancy vitamins contain the recommended level of 400µg folic acid and 10µg vitamin D, plus the vitamins and minerals vital for mother and baby, with specific products to provide nutritional support at different stages: for before pregnancy, when planning a baby, for during the whole of pregnancy and whilst breast-feeding.

Six Foods To Eat When Trying To Conceive

When you are trying for a baby it is important to consume a balanced and varied diet, rich in vitamins and minerals. You will also need to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables - at least 5 portions each day - to boost vitamin and mineral intakes.

In addition, the following foods can also be beneficial when you are trying for a baby, so you might want to think about adding these to your diet:

Folic Acid Rich Foods

NHS advice is that women trying to conceive should take 400 micrograms (µg) of folic acid every day before conception, and then into pregnancy, up to 12 weeks and potentially beyond.

Eating foods that contain folic acid is also advised. These include leafy green vegetables, some fortified foods such as cereal, beans, legumes, orange juice and bananas. Although a healthy diet would normally provide you with enough folate, it’s not possible to get the additional folic acid that’s recommended to support and protect a pregnancy through these natural sources alone. This is the reason that daily dietary supplements are recommended.

In September 2021 the UK Government announced a new policy that in the future, UK flour will be fortified with folic acid to help prevent birth defects (although wholemeal flour and gluten free foods will not be subject to mandatory fortification). The NHS continues to recommend women who could become pregnant or are planning a pregnancy to take a supplement of 400 µg folic acid every day before pregnancy, until the 12th week of pregnancy.

Food Containing Calcium

Calcium is essential for when you do become pregnant to help maintain normal bones and teeth.

Include milk, cheese and yogurt in your day-to-day diet to avoid any calcium deficiencies.

If you’re vegan, there are still plenty of options. Soya drinks or other fortified plant milks, green leafy vegetables and fortified breads all contain calcium.

Food Containing Iron

You’ll need plenty of iron in preparation for pregnancy, to ensure enough oxygen gets to you and your unborn baby. Good food sources of iron include lean beef and poultry, fortified breads and cereals, eggs, dried fruits and dark green, leafy veg. Iron plays an important role as it contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body.

Zinc-Rich Food

Oysters might not be to everyone’s tastes, but they contain zinc, which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. Oysters are also thought to have libido boosting effects (although this is not scientifically proven!).

Not keen on oysters? Other zinc filled foods include meat, legumes such as lentils, seeds, nuts, eggs and dairy foods.

Oily Fish

Try to include one portion of oily fish each week in your diet, such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, because they contain omega-3 essential fatty acids which provides DHA. Maternal intake of DHA contributes to the eye and brain development of the foetus.

Fibre Rich Beans And Whole Grains

The last of our foods to eat when trying to conceive are fibre rich beans and whole grains, such as granary bread. Eating a diet that contains fibre rich beans and whole grains will help keep your bowels healthy, and help to flush away waste. Ensure to stay well hydrated too!

Key Nutrients For Women When You Are Trying To Conceive

During preconception and pregnancy, the key vitamins and minerals to be aware of, are:

Folic Acid

NHS advice is that women should take a daily 400µg folic acid supplement from the time contraception stops and until at least the twelfth week of pregnancy. This is because folic acid contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status. Low maternal folate status is a risk factor in the development of neural tube defects in the developing foetus.*

*A beneficial effect is obtained with a supplemental folic acid daily intake of 400µg for at least one month and up to three months after conception

Vitamin D

Vitamin D contributes to normal absorption and utilisation of calcium and contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. As outlined by the UK Department of Health, all pregnant and breast-feeding women should take a 10µg vitamin D supplement daily. The main source is sunlight. It is also found in oily fish, eggs and full fat dairy products, and can be added to margarines, some yoghurts and breakfast cereals. Since vitamin D is found only in a small number of foods, it might be difficult to get enough from food alone.

Iron

Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin. Haemoglobin transports oxygen in red blood cells. Low iron levels are common during pregnancy, which can affect both the mother’s and baby’s wellbeing. Iron can be found in all meat, especially red meat, fortified breakfast cereals and white bread, beans, chick peas, baked beans, eggs, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.

Iodine

Iodine contributes to normal production of thyroid hormones and normal thyroid function. Fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy products such as cheese and milk contain iodine.

Calcium

Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth. Calcium is found in milk, cheese, yoghurt, fortified soya milk and soya products, canned fish e.g. pilchards and sardines. Calcium is also added to white bread, beans and baked beans, almonds and hard tap water.

When you are trying to conceive, to help ensure you are filling any nutritional gaps in your diet look for a before pregnancy specific multivitamin and mineral supplement, such as our Pregnacare before pregnancy range. The expert formulas include zinc which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction.

Ket Nutrients For Men When Trying To Conceive

When trying for a baby men should eat a balanced, healthy diet covering the basics of healthy eating as outlined above, and it’s recommended to avoid smoking, alcohol or taking recreational drugs.

In addition, men trying for a baby might want to consider incorporating the following foods as part of a health balanced diet:

Foods Containing Zinc

Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. Zinc filled foods include shellfish, meat, legumes such as lentils, seeds, nuts, eggs and dairy foods.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Sperm naturally contains a large amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, and studies have shown that DHA plays a large role in the formation of a sperm’s pointy cap, which is called the acrosome. For men trying for a baby, it might be an idea to take an Omega-3 capsule made from high purity fish oil providing DHA and EPA.

Foods Containing Selenium

Selenium helps to support spermatogenesis , the developing of sperm cells. Sources of selenium in food include Brazil nuts, fish, meat and eggs.

Men who are trying for a baby might want to consider taking a combined supplement designed to support reproductive health in men. Wellman Conception Max provides a comprehensive range of 32 nutrients plus an additional Omega-3 capsule , designed to help support men’s reproductive health when trying to conceive.

Taken daily, the advanced Wellman Conception Max supplements include an increased level of key nutrients compared to the Wellman Conception product, including zinc (25mg), zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. It includes vitamin B6 which contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, while zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. Wellman Conception Max also includes increased levels of amino acids such as L-Carnitine and L-Arginine as well as other nutrients like Pine Bark Extract and Coenzyme Q10. This advanced product also includes N-Acetyl Cysteine. The dual pack also includes Omega-3 capsules from high purity fish oil providing DHA and EPA.

Foods To Avoid When Trying To Get Pregnant 

For women, the type of foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant are as follows:

Supplements Containing Vitamin A

If you're pregnant or thinking of having a baby: avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A, including fish liver oil. This is because vitamin A can potentially be harmful to the baby.

Liver Or Liver Products

Avoid liver or liver products such as pâté, as these are very high in vitamin A.

Shark, Swordfish And Marlin

When you are trying for a baby you should avoid shark, swordfish and marlin, and limit tuna (fresh and canned). This is due to the high mercury content.

Alcohol

Avoid alcohol when you are trying for a baby. This is because it can potentially affect your fertility. Alcohol can also be damaging to the foetus, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, when you are not yet aware that you are pregnant.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional regarding any medical condition. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the blog and to describe best generally accepted current practices we cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions or for any consequences from application of the information given.