6 foods that support fertility

This week we spoke to our nutritionist to talk all things female health. Here are some additional nutritional factors that play a positive role in fertility:

• CoQ10 - Could improve egg and embryo quality especially in those trying to conceive later in life, as the natural body’s production decreases with age.
  
  
• Melatonin - Known as the sleep hormone, melatonin has effects on wider areas of health, including fertility. It is known to improve egg quality and quantity, therefore increasing fertilisation rates and improving the rate of successful pregnancies.
  
  
• Vitamin B6 - Can reduce PMS symptoms, as well as assist in implantation by supporting the production of progesterone – “the pregnancy hormone”.
   
• Folic acid - Also known as vitamin B9, folic acid can help prevent miscarriage and birth defects. Women of child-bearing age are advised to take at least 400 micrograms daily in case of getting pregnant (nearly half of the world’s pregnancies are unplanned).
  
  
• Iron - Can help improve egg quality and the likelihood of implantation. Insufficient iron stores can increase the chances of premature birth and low birth weight. How much iron you should take, or if you should at all, can be determined by your current iron stores.
  
  
• Omega 3 - Aside from generally being anti-inflammatory, omega 3 fatty acids are known to increase blood flow to the uterus, improving implantation of the embryo in the uterus.