Healthy lifestyle tips for couples to boost fertility

Published in City News (Consult an Expert column)

If having a baby is one of your goals in 2010, then one of the most important things you can do is make sure your lifestyle is healthy.

At City Fertility Centre, we see many couples seeking help with improving their fertility but we don’t limit our assistance to reproductive technology — we offer a free nutritional service to support patients in changing their eating and exercise habits.

Our fertility experts talk to patients about the impact that things like losing weight, giving up smoking, and reducing drug, alcohol and caffeine intake can have on their chances of getting pregnant.

For example, smoking reduces IVF success rates by half and even losing a small amount of weight can significantly increase your chances of pregnancy. In fact, 12% of primary infertility is linked to women being underweight or overweight.

Improving your BMI can improve your hormonal levels and ovulation. But nutrition and health also have a direct effect on the health of sperm, so it’s important for both partners to consider these issues.

Of course, a healthy lifestyle is not only important to boost fertility, it’s also essential during pregnancy to keep you well, and give your baby the best start in life.

By Adnan Catakovic
Scientific Director
Fertility – Lab Services, City Fertility Centre

Level 8, Brisbane Private Hospital
259 Wickham Tce Brisbane Qld 4000
P: 1800 123 483
City Fertility Centre Southside
Level 1, 309 Mains Road Sunnybank
P: 1800 483 483