If you are trying to conceive a baby, it is important to maintain a nutritious diet for both your health and the health of your future baby. However, some vitamins play a vital role in helping you to get pregnant. These come from a healthy and balanced diet, as well as a daily prenatal vitamin. According to Dr. Marilyn Glenville, 20% of infertility cases are due to problems with ovulation, and increasing these vitamins can often help.
Vitamin C
In addition to helping your body fight off infection and illness that can prevent a pregnancy from occurring, vitamin C also increases the water content of your cervical mucus, making it more plentiful, reports BabyHopes.com. This is important because the mucus helps transport your partner's sperm to your eggs for conception. In addition, Glenville adds that vitamin C can increase the chances of a successful pregnancy for women who are taking clomiphene, a fertility drug. The vitamin works with the medication to produce ovulation. You can get vitamin C from your prenatal vitamin, citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers and broccoli.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that has proven successful in increasing ovulation and conception. Glenville reports that fertilization rates for couples undergoing IVF treatments went up 19 to 29 percent when they supplemented with vitamin E. Both you and your partner can benefit from increasing your vitamin E intake. Most prenatal vitamins contain this nutrient, but talk to you doctor about taking additional amounts. You can also find vitamin E in broccoli, spinach, wheat germ oil, almonds and sunflower seeds. Vitamin E can also be beneficial for ovulation when you aren't using any type of fertility treatment.
B Vitamins
For women struggling with a decreased rate of ovulation, boosting vitamin B6 intake can often result in an increased chance of conception. This vitamin plays a role in a healthy reproductive system, so a deficiency may result in difficulties getting pregnant, according to FertilityFactor.com. Foods that contain vitamin B6 include fortified cereal, baked potatoes, bananas, chicken, trout, avocado, pork, beef and peanut butter. Another important B vitamin is folic acid, which can increase your fertility. Folic acid is also important because it prevents birth defects that occur before a pregnancy is detected. Vitamin B12 works with folic acid to maintain healthy DNA so that your eggs are healthy and able to make a baby. Folic acid is present in fortified cereal, spinach, asparagus, peas and avocados, while vitamin B12 is available from clams, fish, milk, eggs and poultry, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
