Folic Acid

It is recommended that all women who are trying to become pregnant, should be on a daily supplement of the vitamin Folic Acid as this has been shown to dramatically reduce the incidence of spina bifida and other related conditions (neural tube defects) affecting the baby. Folic acid should be taken pre-conception and continued throughout the first three months of pregnancy.

The daily dose of folic acid is 0.4 mg (400 micrograms). It is cheaper to purchase this yourself across the counter than to obtain it on prescription. The daily dose of folic acid should be increased to 5 mg in women who have had a baby with a neural tube defect, have experienced three or more miscarriages or who have epilepsy and are taking medication. At this dosage a prescription will be required.

Health and diet

Eating a healthy nutritious diet will help make sure your body is healthy and may assist in conception and nourishment of a developing baby.

Your diet should include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables that are rich in folic acid.

Regular exercise helps relieve stress and also helps you to stay at a healthy weight, most days you should aim to do half an hour to an hour of moderate activity. Choose something you enjoy such as swimming, walking or dancing.

Smoking

Couples are strongly advised to give up smoking when trying to conceive. Smoking cigarettes and/or marijuana is known to interfere with ovulation and can reduce sperm numbers and quality. Fertility is reduced in women who smoke and significantly reduces the chance of success of treatments such as IVF, in some cases your chances can be reduced by as much as 40%.

You are advised to give up or at least cut down. We can refer you for help to stop smoking if required.

The miscarriage and stillbirth rates are significantly increased for smokers. Smoking is the commonest cause of "sudden infant death".

Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption is known to reduce fertility, and can cause damage to sperm and eggs.

You are advised not to exceed the recommended limits of 14 units per week for women and 21 units per week for men.

Body Mass Index

Women who are excessively overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 * will not be commenced on fertility treatment until there has been significant weight reduction. Obesity in women can interfere with normal ovulation and so reduce fertility. Many overweight women have a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), which is the commonest cause of disordered ovulation.

Even short-term weight reduction can be effective in restoring ovulation and improve the chance of success of assisted conception treatments such as IVF.

Grossly obese women who succeed in becoming pregnant are at an increased risk of a number of major obstetric hazards.

* BMI is calculated from a person's weight and height (weight in Kg/height in meters2)

Weight and infertility information.pdf