Preconception fertility care is based on helping your body produce the healthiest eggs and sperm
possible. In a woman it takes approximately 100 days for the egg to develop towards ovulation and in
the male its approximately 116 days for sperm production to be completed. A proactive way to utilise this time involves couples adapting a healthy diet and environment in the four months prior to a
possible conception.
Although the focus is often on women in fertility issues, the reality is that men share 50% of the
responsibility in the creation of a healthy embryo.
My recommendations for both partners include;
Refraining from cigarette smoking and other social drugs such as marijuana.
Avoiding the consumption of alcohol.
Avoiding caffeine based products.
Avoiding pesticides and chemicals where possible for example; hair dyes, chemical household
cleaners, nail polish remover, garden sprays, and paint fumes.
The following studies suggest areas of special concern.
Smoking
A report prepared by the British Medical Association had the following key findings
Men who smoke have a lower sperm count and a higher proportion of malformed sperm.
Women who smoke take longer to conceive.
Women who smoke are twice as likely to be infertile as non smokers.
Men and women who smoke have a poorer response to fertility treatment.
Women who have stopped smoking take no longer to become pregnant than those who have
never smoked.
Stopping smoking improves sperm count and quality.
British Medical Association 2004 www.bma.org.uk
Coffee
A study of 1,909 women in America found the risk of not conceiving for 12 months was 55%
higher for women drinking 1 cup of coffee per day. It was 100% higher for women drinking 1
and one half to 3 cups and 176 % higher for women drinking more than three cups per day.
Yale University School of Medicine. Epidemiologic Reviews Vol 14, Pg 83, 1992
Coffee drinking before and during pregnancy was associated with over twice the risk of
miscarriage when the mother consumed 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day.
Journal of American Medical Association December 22 1993
A Caffeine intake of 3 or more cups a day by women or their partners doubled the rate of miscarriage in a Danish Study.
American Journal of Epidemiology Vol 160 7 2004 p.661-67
Fertility Preparation
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