The Fertility Preservation Diet: How to Eat if You Want to Get Pregnant

The pregnancy diet revisited

Information on pregnancy diets abounds, but successful pregnancies in part depend on having healthy eggs. Eating for egg health mostly mimics a good pregnancy diet, with less strict guidelines. Generally, "Everything you do to improve your overall health is going to improve your egg health," says Suzanne Munson, a staff nutritionist at Fairhaven Health, a company that makes fertility products. Here are tips for what to eat and avoid for healthy eggs, whether you're trying to conceive or planning to harvest your eggs. Munson suggests following these guidelines for three to six months before either.

Eggs

It's almost too obvious: Eating eggs improves the health of your own eggs. For registered dietitian Lily Nichols, eggs are the top food choice for women trying to conceive. They are rich in choline, which helps prevent birth defects, Nichols says. Choline is also found in liver, but most people prefer eggs (two to three a day is ideal, and eat the yolk -- that's where the choline is). Other foods that contain choline at lower levels include scallops, shrimp, cauliflower and pork products like bacon. Choose pasture-raised eggs because the chickens from which they come feast on nutrient-rich grass.

Green, leafy vegetables

These vegetables -- spinach, collard greens, kale and romaine lettuce -- contain a lot of folate. The word folate comes from foliage, meaning leaves. Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9, whereas folic acid is the synthetic form. Since about 40 percent of women can't use folic acid, eating folate is recommended. Asparagus and Brussels sprouts are also good sources, as are citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit. "I would suggest women get a serving of greens at each meal," Nichols says. That could mean a green smoothie or spinach omelet at breakfast, a salad at lunch and asparagus at dinner.

Healthy fats

Pre-conception is no time to skimp on fats with substitutions like skim milk and low-fat cheese. Eat full-fat yogurt and cheese, unless you're overweight. And "splurge on a good olive oil," Munson suggests. Avocados are another good source of fats, as are nuts such as walnuts and almonds. Fatty fish such as wild Alaskan salmon (not farm-raised) and sardines are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, Nichols adds. "Since [sardines] are a really small fish, they accumulate a low level of toxins during their lifetime."

Eat local -- and organic.

Eating exclusively organic can be expensive, so if you have to prioritize, eat organic animal products first to avoid the toxins stored in the fat of factory-raised animals exposed to harmful chemicals, Munson says. After that, organic fruits and veggies are great, but the local varieties -- from farmers markets -- may be even better, she adds. "A lot of times local is organic; they just can't afford the certification," Munson says. And organic fruits and veggies that have traveled from, say, California to the District of Columbia have lost a lot of nutrients along the way.

Vitamin D supplement

Since a lot of women are deficient in vitamin D -- in part owing to the fact that two-thirds of people in the U.S. live in northern climates without adequate sun exposure -- women who want to conceive or freeze eggs should have their vitamin D levels tested, Nichols says. Many will have to take a supplement, since most prenatal vitamins don't contain enough of it, Nichols continues. "Food, unfortunately, is a pretty poor source of vitamin D."

Avoid: bottled water and sodas

Most of the plastic bottles that water comes in contain bisphenol A, a harmful substance that may increase the risk of miscarriage and cause other problems, Munson says. Instead, put a filter on your tap or use a filter, carry your water in stainless steel bottles and store and reheat your food in glass containers.

Avoid: trans fats

Partially hydrogenated oils, found in margarine, shortening and fake butters, should be avoided, Nichols says. Trans fats also feature heavily in pre-made cake frosting and commercially baked products such as cookies, crackers, cake mixes and pancake mixes. These foods elevate blood sugar, leading to hormone imbalances that are bad for fertility; they can also cause overall cellular dysfunction that is linked to infertility.

Avoid: sugar

"If people have a juice or soda habit, [they should] kick that habit," Nichols says. These drinks are full of sugar, but diet sodas should also be avoided because artificial sweeteners are also harmful. Sugar ultimately raises your blood sugar, and if that is consistently high, your fertility decreases. "Fertility does increase as you move your body toward a normal body weight, whether you are underweight or overweight," Nichols says. Sugar is highly addictive, so much of cutting it out involves "retraining our taste buds away from sweet so it's not such a big part of the diet."

Avoid: alcohol

Although alcohol in small amounts helps relieve stress, "If you're planning to get pregnant, you don't want to drink," Nichols says. "It has such a negative impact on fetal development, and it really doesn't add that much -- a little bit of antioxidants from red wine; a little bit of B vitamins from beer. From a risk/benefit perspective, I wouldn't do it."

Avoid: caffeine

"I don't think two cups of coffee in the morning is going to make a difference," Munson says. Although the jury is still out on whether caffeine has a detrimental effect on the developing baby or eggs, it probably isn't going to help you, Nichols adds. Plus, it could raise your blood pressure, which can be bad for pregnancy. If you must have it, limit yourself to 200 milligrams per day, which is equivalent to: two shots of espresso or one 6-ounce regular coffee; two cups of black tea; or five to six cups of green tea.

Kristine Crane is a Patient Advice reporter at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at kcrane@usnews.com.