Couple’s Guide to Conception

Couple's who are planning to get pregnant should do some preparation to insure that the pregnancy will go smoothly and their new born will be healthy.

Here are some guidelines on how to prepare for conception (3 month before you plan to conceive):

• Avoid Alcoholic beverages. Although an occasional drink for women is not a problem, about 40% of men suffered from low fertility as a result of even modest consumption of alcohol. Three month abstinence from alcoholic beverages helps raise sperm counts for fertilization in half the men with fertility problem.
• Avoid Smoking. The child of a pregnant woman who smokes is born smaller and with a predisposition to asthma.
• Take Vitamins and minerals in supplement and food form. This is the time to be conscious of the food and supplement you will take as this will not only affect you but also your baby's health. Eat chicken liver because it is rich in folic acid, two avocados a week, and plenty of olive oil, sunflower and sesame seeds for vitamin E. Men should start eating plenty of shellfish for extra zinc. Sperm is rich in zinc; by adding shellfish to your diet you will keep your supply to a healthy level. Zinc also increases the protection of the sperm against free radical damage. In women, zinc is necessary to prevent fatigue and to maintain good appetite.

• Eat food rich in Omega-3 fatty acid. Women should eat at least three portions of oily fish each week for the essential acids they provide. Avoid canned fish because most of its essential fatty acids are removed during processing and it may also be contaminated with heavy metal and toxic chemical.
• Choose organic meat and poultry products. Avoid all meat and poultry products that are grown in a factory because they may have been fed on growth hormones.
• Lose weight. If you are overweight now is the time for that healthy, well balanced, exercise and weight-loss programme. Obesity upsets the testosterone and estrogen balance and may cause infertility. It is important to know also that excessive and obsessive exercise can reduce sperm count.

Other food that you should include to your diet:

• Vitamin C rich food. Vitamin C increases your resistance to infection and it also reduces the clumping of sperm.
• Beta-carotenes. Eat at least two servings of beta-carotene rich foods (carrot, broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato and other green leafy vegetables).