The latest study carried out by Ginefiv, entitled Women’s Fertility Knowledge and Habits, concludes that a balanced diet and the intake of certain foods are essential to ensure good reproductive health and thus improve ovarian response.
However, although there is an awareness of the need to take care of food as part of good health habits, in daily practice the diet is often not sufficiently balanced. Thus, almost 90% of women claim to maintain a balanced diet, but the reality is that less than 30% consume five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day, essential for their high antioxidant content, which helps the ovarian response.
Overweight, a handicap to infertility
Between 10 and 12% of men and women with infertility are overweight. To prevent overweight and improve fertility, it is necessary to know the right eating habits to take care, at the same time, of the reproductive capacity.
Excess fat and lack of antioxidants result in young women with aging ovaries that do not function properly. But it does not only affect women, it also affects semen quality. Men who ingest high levels of saturated fats have a 28% lower sperm concentration.
Importance of a balanced diet
Assisted Reproduction experts insist that both men and women eat a healthy diet if they are in the process of trying to become parents. The ideal is to maintain good nutrition as a whole: eat a variety of foods from all food groups, low in fat and with high nutritional value. This will allow the parents to ingest the vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal reproductive function.
Drastic weight changes can also affect fertility.
Likewise, a drastic change in normal body weight, either by weight gain or weight loss, can cause infertility in both sexes. Also the chances of success of assisted reproductive treatments can be affected.