What To Eat When You’re Trying To Get Pregnant

Sure, a slice of tomato on your sandwich can help reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, but it can also help you get pregnant, too, according to Dr. Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, FACOG, double board-certified in OB/GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Director of Perinatal Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. “Tomatoes are high in lycopene which is an antioxidant, but it’s also good for semen health,” says Dr. Gaither.

Known for helping to lower blood pressure and decrease inflammation, walnuts are also an excellent addition to your pre-pregnancy diet. “Walnuts are rich in Omega fatty acids,” says Dr. Gaither. “They’re good for sperm because they enhance sperm vitality, movement, and shape.” So make sure that your sweetie has a handful of walnuts so that they help, you know, his.

“Beans and lentils are high in folate and protein,” says Dr. Gaither. But the benefits don’t end there. “Lentils contain a polygamist Spermidine which are beneficial to sperm.” Spermidine is an important part of maintaining cellular homeostasis, which keeps your body (including your egg and your partner’s sperm production) functioning at its best, a study found.

Forget about an apple a day. Opting for oranges and other citrusy fruits are one way to prep your body for pregnancy. Says Dr. Gaither: “Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C and putrescine-a polyamine – both of which improve egg and semen health.”

Milk does a body good, especially if you’re hoping that said body will be carrying a baby soon. “Dairy is rich in saturated fats, Vitamins A, D ,E, and K,” says Dr. Witt. “It’s good for fertility and egg health.” That’s why you can have the whole milk or yogurt — even a small bowl of ice cream. Full fat dairy is your friend when you’re trying to conceive.

You know how you should take a prenatal vitamin when you’re expecting? Well, those all-important 400 micrograms of folic acid found in your prenatals can help prevent neural tube defects in your baby. But while you could always pop a prenatal pill daily as you’re trying to conceive, you can also find some folic acid naturally in foods like asparagus, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, or beets, Dr. Witt recommends.

“Women trying to get pregnant should always include healthy fats in their diet to support immune function,” Brittany Lubeck, MS, RD, a registered dietitian tells Romper. “Fat is also essential to neurological pathways and messaging systems that control hormones.” Healthy fats include foods like avocados, cheese, whole eggs, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil.

If you’re looking to get pregnant soon, be sure to have whole grains in your diet, Dr. Witt recommends. “A diet with a high consumption of whole grains has been associated with improved fertility in women and higher semen quality in men,” he says. “It improves insulin sensitivity, pregnancy and live birth rates, too.” You can look for whole wheat bread, barley, brown rice, and quinoa for good sources of whole grain. “Whole grains and other complex carbohydrates take time to digest which helps prevent large spikes and dips in blood sugar, which can disrupt hormones,” says Lubeck. “Whole grains should always be part of a healthy diet as they are great sources of fiber and important B vitamins.”

It is important for a woman who is trying to get pregnant to make sure she is not iron deficient. “Iron is needed for regular ovulation, which is obviously essential to fertility,” says Lubeck. There are tons of iron-rich foods, such as lean meats, spinach, tofu, beans — even breakfast cereals may be fortified with 100% of your daily value for iron, the National Institutes of Health reported.

But if you plan to get your iron intake from meat, make sure it’s safe, Dr. Cindy Duke, PhD, FACOG, a fertility expert and the Medical Director of Nevada Fertility Institute tells Romper. “If you're a meat eater it’s important to make sure the meat is hormonal-free and antibiotic-free,” Dr. Duke advises. “The hormones and the antibiotics we use in animals are known as Endocrine Disruptors, which really do disrupt our own human hormonal messaging.”