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Dr Ro Huntriss
Find out which vitamins, supplements, foods and other activities can help to support your journey.
If you're trying to conceive, you're probably already following the NHS advice around how often you need to have sex (every two to three days), how often to attend your fertility appointment or otherwise the best way to try to get yourself or your partner pregnant. But there's also a lot you can do to help prepare your body for conception.
Around one in seven couples may have difficulty conceiving,1 so you’re not alone. From all of us at H&B, we wish you loads of luck!
“Anybody who’s trying to conceive should take a 400 microgram folic acid supplement from around three months before conception until at least the 12th week of pregnancy, as this can help prevent birth defects like spina bifida.3 If you’re ever unsure, just speak to your GP or midwife.
Ten micrograms of vitamin D throughout the winter months is recommended, but if you have low levels, you may need to take more.3
“Many people take prenatal supplements4 usually containing folic acid or folate, vitamin D, vitamin, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, and zinc.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before using supplements. Discontinue use and consult a doctor if adverse reactions occur.
Ideally we want to make sure you’re able to get your vitamins from your diet, but if you feel you’re not quite able to if you have a restricted diet, then consider taking a multi-nutrient supplement. Folic acid and vitamin D during the winter are the two that can support your wellbeing."
“So generally a Mediterranean diet5 is a great foundation to start from.
Try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, making sure there’s as much colour as possible, such as:
Other foods to look at are whole grains and oily fish – try to aim for one to two portions per week as they’re the best dietary source of the omega-3 fatty acids.
Finally, unsaturated fats that we tend to see in foods like nuts, virgin olive oil and avocados.”
“Important factors include:
This doesn’t mean restricting yourself from the foods that you love – that’s no fun for anyone. Just everything in moderation, try to keep your meals full of colour
We want to make sure we’re getting everything we need from our diet, but when a helping hand is needed we want a good prenatal supplement. Check with your doctor to find out what might be suitable for you
Fertility can be a long, difficult journey for some people, so you need to make sure you still give you and your partner space to enjoy life. Fertility can sometimes be all you think about, but that’s not healthy, make sure you take time for your wellbeing by being active, getting outdoors and doing something fun each week
Both of these can have a negative impact on your mental wellbeing and conception, so we want to avoid them as much as possible
Let people know how you’d like to be supported also – for example, whether you’d like friends to ask about your journey, or wait until you tell them