WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

'I Ran My 49th Marathon At 27 Weeks Pregnant'

'I Ran My 49th Marathon At 27 Weeks Pregnant'

Jessie J Says She Changed Her Diet After Being Told She's Infertile

Jessie J Says She Changed Her Diet After Being Told She's Infertile

Kylie Jenner Reveals The Secret To Her Sculpted Abs Post-Baby

Kylie Jenner Reveals The Secret To Her Sculpted Abs Post-Baby

How To Ease Back Into Exercise After Having A Baby

How To Ease Back Into Exercise After Having A Baby

{headline}

{headline}

Women Are Eating Maccas Fries To Increase Their Chances Of Getting Pregnant

Women Are Eating Maccas Fries To Increase Their Chances Of Getting Pregnant

Iskra Lawrence On Getting Pregnant While Taking The Pill

Iskra Lawrence On Getting Pregnant While Taking The Pill

There’s A Certain Day Of The Month You’re More Likely To Reach An Orgasm

There’s A Certain Day Of The Month You’re More Likely To Reach An Orgasm

{headline}

{headline}

Study Finds Having More Than Three Kids Could Shorten Your Lifespan

Study Finds Having More Than Three Kids Could Shorten Your Lifespan

Trainer Tiffiny Hall Opens Up About Her Life-Long Battle With Epilepsy

Trainer Tiffiny Hall Opens Up About Her Life-Long Battle With Epilepsy

World's Best Study Confirms Pregnant Women Should Eat Chocolate Daily

World's Best Study Confirms Pregnant Women Should Eat Chocolate Daily

This Photo Of Jessica Simpson’s Newborn Baby Is Stirring Up Major Controversy

This Photo Of Jessica Simpson’s Newborn Baby Is Stirring Up Major Controversy

Kayla Itsines Gets Brutally Honest About Her Insecurities During Pregnancy

Kayla Itsines Gets Brutally Honest About Her Insecurities During Pregnancy

Can You Get Pregnant From Precum?

Can You Get Pregnant From Precum?

You Can Get Pregnant With PCOS - Here's What To Do To Increase Your Chances

You Can Get Pregnant With PCOS - Here's What To Do To Increase Your Chances

  1. Home
  2. Health

Experts Say Couples Should Adopt Healthy Habits Two Years Before Trying For A Baby

That includes cutting back on caffeine. - by Lucy Bode
  • 27 Aug 2019
Experts Say Couples Should Adopt Healthy Habits Two Years Before Trying For A Baby
Getty Images

There are certain things we’re told to do when trying to conceive; give up smoking, cut back on caffeine, take pre-natal vitamins... the list goes on and on. But while three months of pre-preg prep used to be the magic number, now, experts are warning that’s not nearly long enough.

According to reproductive biologist Grace Dugdale, both fathers and mothers-to-be should change their lifestyle up to two years before starting a family. This includes giving up alcohol and losing weight. Her reasoning is that it can take a full year before our bodies adjust to a healthy diet – one that contains the nutrients to boost fertility.

RELATED: An Expert Weighs In On 10 Of The Most Common Fertility Myths

eating
Getty Images

“The standard advice is to allow three months before conception to take folic acid and live healthily, but that does not give people enough time to make the necessary changes,” she said during a recent talk at the Manchester Fertility Conference.

“Couples get married, then they wait until they have problems conceiving before making the changes to their diet and lifestyle that could help them, and it is heartbreaking if they then end up with fertility problems that might have been solved earlier.”

“Basic things like getting their vitamin D checked can make a big difference,” she added.

Studies suggest men can increase their fertility by drinking moderately, eating nuts and leafy greens and exercising at least three times a week. For women consuming a balanced diet (rich in fibre, folate, lycopene and fruits and vegetables), while minimising the consumption of highly processed foods is key.

workout
Getty

Weight is also an important factor. Being under or overweight will not only cause you to not ovulate regularly but also decrease the chance of any given embryo implanting. As Dugdale explains:

“A mother's weight and diet around the time of conception and immediately before has a significant effect on the future health of the baby.”

RELATED: Women Over 35 Should Wait At Least A Year In Between Pregnancies

  • Health
  • Diet
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Exercise
  • Pregnancy Nutrition
  • Parenting
  • Fertility
Lucy Bode
Lucy Bode
Lucy is Women Health’s digital editor, social media specialist and the go-to girl for all things holistic wellness. Her background as a journalist and passion for food, fitness and integrative medicine has led her to write for some of Australia’s leading publications over the course of her career.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

'I Ran My 49th Marathon At 27 Weeks Pregnant'

'I Ran My 49th Marathon At 27 Weeks Pregnant'

Jessie J Says She Changed Her Diet After Being Told She's Infertile

Jessie J Says She Changed Her Diet After Being Told She's Infertile

Kylie Jenner Reveals The Secret To Her Sculpted Abs Post-Baby

Kylie Jenner Reveals The Secret To Her Sculpted Abs Post-Baby

How To Ease Back Into Exercise After Having A Baby

How To Ease Back Into Exercise After Having A Baby

{headline}

{headline}

Women Are Eating Maccas Fries To Increase Their Chances Of Getting Pregnant

Women Are Eating Maccas Fries To Increase Their Chances Of Getting Pregnant

Iskra Lawrence On Getting Pregnant While Taking The Pill

Iskra Lawrence On Getting Pregnant While Taking The Pill

There’s A Certain Day Of The Month You’re More Likely To Reach An Orgasm

There’s A Certain Day Of The Month You’re More Likely To Reach An Orgasm

{headline}

{headline}

Study Finds Having More Than Three Kids Could Shorten Your Lifespan

Study Finds Having More Than Three Kids Could Shorten Your Lifespan

Trainer Tiffiny Hall Opens Up About Her Life-Long Battle With Epilepsy

Trainer Tiffiny Hall Opens Up About Her Life-Long Battle With Epilepsy

World's Best Study Confirms Pregnant Women Should Eat Chocolate Daily

World's Best Study Confirms Pregnant Women Should Eat Chocolate Daily

This Photo Of Jessica Simpson’s Newborn Baby Is Stirring Up Major Controversy

This Photo Of Jessica Simpson’s Newborn Baby Is Stirring Up Major Controversy

Kayla Itsines Gets Brutally Honest About Her Insecurities During Pregnancy

Kayla Itsines Gets Brutally Honest About Her Insecurities During Pregnancy

Can You Get Pregnant From Precum?

Can You Get Pregnant From Precum?

You Can Get Pregnant With PCOS - Here's What To Do To Increase Your Chances

You Can Get Pregnant With PCOS - Here's What To Do To Increase Your Chances

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now