Assess your lifestyle and your environment
There is no magic lifestyle or diet that will guarantee fertility or a perfect baby,
There are, however, some basic guidelines to follow.
Using common sense and avoid extremes in diet and exercise is a good place to start
Exercise
Do participate in regular exercise such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming etc. It is good for cardiovascular health and may decrease your stress level.
Don‘t start a new energetic exercise regimen just before attempting to become pregnant.
Do consult your physician on what may or may not be recommended for you.
Level of exercise:
Everyone has a different level of exercise at which point it interferes with fertility.
Extreme exercise may affect fertility in both men and women.
Men can develop reduced sperm production and women may stop ovulating.
Serious athletes may have to add more calories to ward off fertility problems. Please consult with your doctor if you are in a rigorous exercise program and concerned about your fertility.
Weight
Avoid Extremes:
Very thin or recent weight loss
This may affect the release of LH and FSH (the gonadotropins). LH and FSH are important for the development of eggs in the ovaries and sperm in the testes.
Your response to weight and weight change is unique, so please discuss your condition with your physician and/or with a dietitian.
Overweight
Obesity may affect the hormonal signals to the ovaries or testes. Crash or fad diets resulting in sudden or extreme weight loss also affect fertility, so please consult with your doctor and/or nutritionist for the best approach to your particular situation. Metabolic causes of obesity may need to be ruled out.
Nutrition
Keep you plate colorful!
Create meals that are "colorful". Include a variety of green, red, and yellow vegetables, a lean low fat portion of protein, fresh fruits and whole grains.
Limit the number of foods which are high in sugar or saturated fat, e.g. butter, whole milk products, fatty meats, fried foods as well as salty and processed foods.
Purchase fresh, unprocessed produce whenever possible. Visit your farmers’ markets to find fresh, organic, affordable produce.
Fish: Click here for an update on the safety of fish in your diet
Alcohol: Limit it. The primary cause of preventable mental retardation is alcohol, according to the March of Dimes. Please seek professional help if you are unable to decrease or quit drinking prior to pregnancy.
Caffeine: Limit it.3-8 oz cups of coffee/day can double a nonsmoker’s risk of miscarriage in the first trimester. N. England J Med 343[25]: 839-45, 2000
Tobacco: Stop smoking. Ask your friends and family to help you stop.
Discuss a cessation program with your doctor.
Drugs, Vitamins and supplements
Avoid any unnecessary medications, especially recreational drugs of any kind.
Review all your over-the-counter and prescription vitamins, herbs and medications with your health care provider. Though the label may say "natural" or "herbal", they can have active ingredients, which may interfere with your fertility and/or be harmful to a growing fetus.
Folic Acid is important
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend folate supplementation of 0.4 mg or 400 micrograms per day before pregnancy and during the first few months of pregnancy.
Folic acid can help protect your unborn baby against birth defects of the spine and brain.
Environment
Workplace
Do you work in a setting where hazardous materials or toxins? Discuss this with your healthcare provider. Together you may identify substances to avoid.
Cleaners and toxic fumes: Always create good ventilation when using drain cleaners, paints and floor strippers.
Click here for more information on toxins in the environment.
CA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
X-rays: Always ask to have your reproductive organs shielded if you have to have an x-ray.
Cat litter, undercooked meat and gardening: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite. It may be carried in a cat’s stool, in undercooked meat or in the soil. If a pregnant woman is infected, a developing fetus can be harmed. Have someone other than the mother-to-be care for the litter box. Avoid eating undercooked meat and gardening without gloves.
Back to the Top
Decrease Your Stress
Become aware of the health of your relationships and your emotional well-being. Enlist the help of a therapist, clergyman, or other professional to help work through childhood traumas before beginning a family.
Click here for information about Mind/Body@PFC Weekend Workshop
or call 888-834-3095 for class information, fees and your registration form
Back to the Top
Helpful Prenatal Preparation Web Links
ABCs of having a healthy pregnancy - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities’ informative website.
March of Dimes - Non-profit organization working to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.
Protect Your Fertility -
American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) educational web site discussing ways to protect the fertility of women and men. ASRM is the nation’s largest professional organization of fertility experts.
b4pregnancy - Informative site developed by the Preconception Care Resource Center of Medical University of South Carolina sponsored by the March of Dimes. It provides women and men of childbearing age information and resources concerning healthy lifestyle changes in preparation for pregnancy.
Back to the Top
www.infertilitydoctor.com
Welcome 
