Friday Fertility Fundas: What kind of nutrition is essential to get pregnant?

Fertility is a topic that most people shy away from talking about. But when it comes to burning questions that you are just too shy to ask someone face to face, we have the answers for you by Dr Rajalaxmi Walavalkar, Consultant, IVF and Reproductive Surgery, Cocoon Fertility

In terms of nutrition and general health, what advice would you give couples who are trying to conceive?

For both men and women, being physically active coupled with a good diet is beneficial in boosting chances of conceiving.

For women who are obese, losing a few pounds is essential for a successful pregnancy. Obese women are twice as likely to have a miscarriage than women of healthy weight.

Women who are underweight can also have fewer chances of conceiving. It can cause hormonal imbalances that affect ovulation.

For men who are overweight, the sperm quality is worse as compared to men with a healthy weight. Being underweight can also reduce a man's sperm quality and therefore his fertility.

Here are certain things both me and women should avoid while trying to conceive:

Smoking- Smoking makes a woman's eggs more prone to genetic abnormalities and also increases the risk of miscarriage. If the woman's partner is also a smoker, he should quit it since smoking lowers sperm count and also motility ( swimming speed)

Alcohol- Drinking whilst planning a pregnancy is not a good idea since it is linked to hormonal imbalance, poor egg quality and increased risk of miscarriage, making it harder to conceive. If the male partner is a regular drinker, it can reduce is sperm quality.

Extreme exercise- Vigorous exercise and working out to the point that it interferes with your menstrual cycle can mess with your fertility. Don't avoid your regular morning workouts but also don't over-exert yourself.

A good diet benefits hormonal functions, foetal development, egg health, sperm health and much more. Eating vegetables and fruits is a must to boost conception chances.

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