Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour at Vogue Magazine Talks About Fertility-Boosting Diet for Planning a Baby
Planning a baby? Bookmark these foods that boost fertility and can help you conceive
When it comes to nutrition, this is what your body expects even before you’re expecting.
While no particular food or ingredient can magically attract a baby to your womb, you cannot underestimate the role nutrition plays in conceiving. Certain foods and the right quantities of them can enhance your fertility and improve your chances of getting pregnant. We know we live in a world where tech advancements and modern medicine can help enormously, but the benefits of optimising your nutrition shouldn’t be disregarded. You are what you eat is an adage that holds true in every aspect of your life, including your ability to conceive.
The link between your diet and fertility is not a new concept. Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour, Gynaecologist, IVF expert and Director, SCI Healthcare, New Delhi, explains its origins. “A fertility-boosting diet can be traced to research from the Nurses’ Health Study, which began in 1976 and grew to include over 238,000 female nurse participants aged 30 to 55. They found that a high intake of trans fats, low-fat dairy foods, animal protein, soft drinks, and a higher dietary glycemic load was associated with a higher risk of anovulatory infertility. Dr. Sneha Sathe, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility Mumbai, agrees and says, “Eating healthy can only improve one’s chances of successful conception. Preconception is the ideal time to adopt a healthy lifestyle where you eat right, work out, stop smoking and cut down on alcohol and caffeine. Food choices affect reproductive function in several ways. In addition to the direct impact of a nutritious diet on fertility, healthy food choices are critical to building up nutrient stores that are essential for the growth and development of the foetus during pregnancy.”
What would a typical fertility diet look like? Click to read more