Fertility Diet & Nutrition

What to Eat When Trying to Conceive

Many people trying to conceive wonder whether nutrition can affect fertility. Learn what research says about fertility-supportive eating patterns and how to build a strong foundation before pregnancy.

Many people trying to conceive wonder whether nutrition can affect fertility. The foods we eat affect several biological processes involved in reproduction, including ovulation, egg and sperm development, hormone regulation, and early embryo development.

What Research Shows

Research suggests that overall dietary patterns may influence fertility and reproductive health.

One of the most well-known studies examining nutrition and fertility is the Nurses' Health Study II, which followed nearly 18,000 women trying to become pregnant. Researchers identified a dietary pattern associated with a lower risk of ovulatory infertility.[1]

Researchers also found that fertility outcomes were influenced by a combination of factors, including diet quality, body weight, and physical activity.

Other studies have examined Mediterranean-style dietary patterns, which emphasize vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish, and healthy fats such as olive oil. In some studies, greater adherence to this pattern has been associated with improved fertility outcomes, including higher pregnancy rates among individuals undergoing fertility treatment.

While no single dietary pattern guarantees pregnancy, these findings suggest that overall diet quality may play an important role in reproductive health.

Why Nutrition Matters Before Conception

Because the egg and sperm take weeks to months to develop, nutrition and lifestyle habits may influence reproductive health long before conception occurs.

To learn more, read Egg Health and Nutrition and Sperm Health and Nutrition.

What Does a Fertility-Supportive Diet Look Like?

Researchers often study overall dietary patterns because nutrients and foods work together in the body to influence metabolism, hormones, inflammation, and cellular health. Research in fertility nutrition consistently points to similar patterns of eating that may support fertility and reproductive health.

These patterns tend to include:

Vegetables and fruits eaten regularly
Whole grains and legumes
Fish and sources of healthy fats
Foods rich in vitamins and minerals
Fewer highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates

Rather than focusing on individual foods, the strongest evidence supports building consistent eating habits that help provide the nutrients needed to support reproductive health and overall well-being.

One simple framework is The Fertility Plate, which emphasizes:

Half the plate vegetables and fruit
One quarter protein-rich foods
One quarter high-fiber carbohydrates
Healthy fats included throughout the meal

This approach helps provide the nutrients needed to support reproductive health while also supporting energy levels, blood sugar management, and overall health.

This framework can be adapted to different fertility-related conditions, dietary preferences, and stages of the fertility journey.

Learn more in The Fertility Plate.

How Diet Influences Fertility

Nutrition affects several biological systems involved in reproduction.

Diet patterns may influence:

• hormone and metabolic regulation
• oxidative stress affecting egg and sperm health
• inflammation in reproductive tissues
• the gut microbiome and reproductive tract environment
• cellular energy production needed for egg maturation
• micronutrients required for fertility and early embryo development

Learn more about these topics in Egg Health and Nutrition, Sperm Health and Nutrition, PMOS and Fertility, Endometriosis and Fertility, and Fertility Treatment and Nutrition.

Summary

Nutrition is not the only factor that influences fertility, but research suggests it plays an important role in reproductive health.

Rather than focusing on individual foods, the strongest evidence supports building consistent eating habits that provide the nutrients needed to support hormone regulation, ovulation, egg development, sperm development, and overall health.