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Foods for Fertility

May 27, 2018


More than 6 million women in the U.S. struggle with infertility.1 While many of the factors that contribute to how quickly you conceive are out of your control, there are some things you do have control over. For example, your diet and overall health.

An eight-year study conducted by the Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard Medical School followed 17,544 women who wanted to become pregnant. These women experienced absent or irregular ovulation during their menstrual cycle. Prior to the study, the participants didn’t generally have a healthy diet. Fewer than 5% were eating a diet made up of foods that could maximize their fertility, such as monounsaturated rather than trans fats, vegetable rather than animal protein sources, low glycemic carbohydrates, high fat dairy, multivitamins, and iron from plants and supplements.2 Making these dietary changes was linked to lower ovulatory disorder infertility.2 A combination of diet, healthy habits, and physical activity was found to explain nearly two thirds of the incidence of anovulatory infertility.2,3

Eating a healthy diet during preconception is important due to the effects of insulin resistance on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is a leading cause of infertility in women. Insulin levels spike when the pancreas reacts to high blood sugar levels. Choosing to eat beans, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits instead of sugary drinks, white bread, cookies, and low-fiber cereals helps keep insulin levels steady.4 Protein is an important part of a healthy diet. Plant protein sources contain healthy unsaturated fats and are low in calories, which may be favorable over animal protein sources when trying to maintain a healthy diet for fertility.2,3 Women in a healthy weight range may have an easier time getting pregnant. The Nurses’ Health Study showed that a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-24 is optimal for fertility.5

You don’t have to change everything in your diet to achieve maximum fertility, and the relationship between diet and fertility is complex. However, taking vitamins with folic acid and iron may help prevent ovulatory infertility. Over the eight-year Harvard study, participants who took a daily multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid were 40% less likely to struggle with ovulatory infertility.5

Talk to your doctor about whether taking a prescription vitamin specially designed to support the preconception nutritional needs of women is right for you. Prenate Pixie® is a small but mighty addition to your healthy diet. Folic acid is an important part of a healthy diet for women of child- bearing age according to The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Prenate Pixie® can help fill nutritional gaps prior to conception and throughout pregnancy.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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