If you want to get pregnant, it's natural to wonder where to start. Food can be part of that preparation, helping you look after your health and nutritional needs before pregnancy. This care also includes men: when having a baby is a shared plan, it's worth looking at both partners' eating routines and health.
In short
- Vary your plate: no single food is “good for fertility” on its own.
- Folic acid is recommended as prevention: 400 micrograms a day, starting at least one month before conception.
- Other supplements should not be used automatically: more is not better.
- This care also includes your partner.
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Start with your plate
1. Make room for variety
Include leafy greens, vegetables and fruit of different colors throughout the week. Vary your choices instead of relying on a single food considered “good for fertility”.
2. Include sources of protein
Eggs, fish, meat, beans, lentils and chickpeas can be part of your meals, according to your preferences and needs.
3. Value simple meals
Rice and beans, vegetables and a source of protein make a practical base. Oats, other whole grains, olive oil and seeds can also be part of your routine.
4. Cut back on ultra-processed foods
Have soft drinks, processed meats, cream-filled cookies and ready meals less often. Make changes that are realistic and consistent, without demanding perfection.
An idea to get started: for lunch, rice, beans, vegetables and egg or fish; for a snack, a piece of fruit and plain yogurt, if tolerated. These are examples of combinations, not an individual menu.
Portions, meal times and adaptations depend on your routine. Very restrictive diets and cutting out food groups need professional assessment.
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Gut health and routine
The gut is involved in digesting and absorbing nutrients. Frequent constipation, diarrhea, pain or bloating deserve attention, especially if they make eating difficult.
Basic care
Drink water throughout the day, chew calmly and include fiber from fruit, vegetables, oats and legumes according to your tolerance. Increase fiber gradually.
What's worth mentioning in the consultation?
How your bowels work, which foods cause discomfort, what you've stopped eating and which medications or supplements you take. These details help guide the assessment.
Look at your habits too
Keep regular sleep hours, stay physically active according to your condition and avoid tobacco and alcohol while planning a pregnancy. Talk to your care team about caffeine intake.
When needed, gut care is individualized. The choice of fiber, probiotics or other interventions depends on each case: there is no universal gut protocol for getting pregnant.
Caring for gut health is part of overall care. This doesn't mean that every digestive discomfort causes infertility.
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Supplements, with judgment
A list of vitamins on the internet doesn't show your needs. Before adding supplements, it's important to consider what you already eat and what you really need. In the consultation, we can assess:
- Your diet, restrictions and routine.
- Your health history and reproductive planning.
- Digestive symptoms and conditions already diagnosed.
- Available tests and the need for nutritional investigation.
- Medications and supplements you take.
This assessment helps define whether supplements are indicated, which nutrients to use, in what doses, for how long and how to monitor the response. Tests are interpreted within the clinical context, not in isolation.
Care that starts before the positive test
Folic acid is recommended as prevention before pregnancy. The general guidance is 400 micrograms a day, started at least one month before conception. Some situations require different doses, set by the care team. This prevention doesn't need to wait for a deficiency to show up in tests.
Other supplements should not be used automatically. More is not better, and supplements don't guarantee pregnancy.
Shall we look at your story?
In the consultation, we talk about your routine, assess your history and tests and build a realistic eating plan for you. When indicated, supplements are personalized, with appropriate doses, duration and follow-up. Care can involve both partners and go hand in hand with medical follow-up.
Dra. Daniely Catharino TooleyClinical, functional and orthomolecular nutritionist · CRN3/6794
References (3)+
- World Health Organization. Healthy diet.
- ASRM. Optimizing natural fertility: a committee opinion (2022).
- CDC. About Folic Acid (2026).
Educational content for adults. This guidance does not replace an individual consultation, diagnosis or treatment.