There is only a 20 percent chance of getting pregnant during each cycle, according to the Fertility Facts website and it can take four to five months for the average fertile couple to conceive. Lifestyle choices can affect both male and female fertility, according to the Mayo Clinic. This includes dietary choices. Some vitamins may improve fertility and improve chances of conception.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin. It plays an essential role in vision, bone growth, immunity, cell division and skin health. It is also essential for normal reproduction. In women, vitamin A is needed for the normal reproductive cycle. It is also an important component in the growth of the embryo, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. In men, vitamin A is needed for sperm production, according to Colorado State University. Food sources of vitamin A include cod liver oil, eggs, milk, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, spinach, broccoli and mangoes.
Zinc
In men, low levels of zinc can cause sperm cells to clump, according to the American Dietetic Association. It is recommended men consume 11 mg of zinc a day to improve fertility. A study published in 2008 in "Medical Principles and Practice" investigated the mechanisms behind zinc and sperm health. The authors concluded that zinc improved sperm health through its antioxidant properties. Zinc prevented oxidative stress, sperm death and sperm DNA fragmentation. Food sources of zinc include oysters, beef, chicken, pork, crab, fortified breakfast cereals, cashews and chickpeas.
Folate
Folate helps reproduce and grow new cells and is especially important during times of rapid growth such as pregnancy. It is recommended that women of childbearing age consume 400 mcg of folate a day to prevent birth defects, making it an important fertility vitamin for women. Food sources of folate include fortified breakfast cereals, fortified pasta, fortified rice, black-eyed peas, spinach, asparagus, green peas, broccoli, peanuts and beef liver.
Fertility in men also improves with folate. A 2002 study published in "Sterility and Fertility" investigated the effects of zinc and folate supplementation in fertile and sub-fertile men. The men were divided into four supplementation groups including folic acid and placebo, zinc sulfate and placebo, folic acid and zinc sulfate or placebo and placebo. The study showed a 74 percent improvement in sperm health in the sub-fertile men taking the folic acid and zinc sulfate combination. Folic acid and zinc sulfate alone did not show any significant changes.
References
- Fertility Facts: Increase Your Chance of Getting Pregnant
- MayoClinic.com: Female Fertility: Why Lifestyle Choices Count
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin A
- Colorado State University: Vitamin A
- "Medical Principles and Practice"; Indications of the Mechanisms Involved in Improved Sperm Parameters by Zinc Therapy; A.E. Omu; 2008
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