What vitamins do you need before pregnancy?

Some vitamins and minerals that may increase the chances of conceiving include:

Folic acid (folate): Females who consume folic acid supplements conceive faster. These may also increase the chances of live birth when people conceive using assisted reproductive technology (ART). Between 400-800mcg per day should be taken at least a month before trying to conceive.

Vitamin D: Low vitamin D levels may reduce the likelihood of an individual conceiving during ART and also increase the risk of pregnancy complications, congenital rickets, and fractures in newborns. Dose is 1000 IU or less for women and between 2000-4000 IU for men could be recommended.

Iron: Iron deficiency may lead to decreased fertility. Females with celiac disease and iron deficiency can experience delayed periods, early menopause, and unexplained infertility. Dose should be roughly 27mg of iron per day.

Omega-3: Females who took omega-3 supplements were around 1.5 times more likely to conceive than those who did not. It’s better to get try and get these from a healthy diet, eating things such as fatty fish and nuts. However, if you do require a supplement, we recommend 500-100mg daily.

Selenium: Selenium deficiency has been linked to miscarriages and low semen quality and motility. You should take 50mcg per day. 

Vitamin B (apart from acid folic): Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 are all associated with a lower risk of an ovulation disorder, ovulatory infertility. Vitamin B12 in particular has been linked to increasing fertility in women undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments, whereas low levels of B12 have been linked to female infertility. A B-complex multivitamin can usually provide a lot of your recommended B vitamins.

Zinc: For women, zinc can help with fertilisation and egg development. For men, it can help improve sperm quality. Zinc supports fertility by regulating hormone functions, cell division and ovulation. However, despite being essential, our bodies do not store zinc, so it can be required to take zinc supplements. Zinc deficiencies are linked to lower sperm quality and taking more time to conceive. Dose: 8mg is recommended for women and 11mg for men.

Acetyl L-carnitine: Advantages for women: acetyl L-carnitine contains antioxidants that help promote a healthy female reproductive system. Advantages for men: helps sperm motility (the way it moves)

Acetyl L-carnitine (ALC) is a form of the amino acid L-carnitine (LC), which helps turn fat into energy and occurs in the body naturally. It is thought to help slow down the ageing process of the reproductive system. Dose: Ranges between 1-3g per day for both males and females

Calcium: Advantages for both men and women: increasing your calcium intake can prevent a deficiency. For men, calcium can help create sperm. It is important to ensure we don’t encounter any deficiencies whilst trying to conceive as we want to ensure the body is working at its optimum. Calcium is also important in the development of a baby’s bones, blood vessels and heart. However, more specifically a calcium deficiency in men could cause infertility issues as it helps the production of sperm. It’s always better to get calcium from a healthy diet such as eating full-fat yoghurt, cheese and dark leafy greens (e.g. spinach). However, if you are deficient it would be recommended to take 1000mg per day.

Coenzyme Q10: For women: coenzyme Q10 can help improve the ovarian response to IVF. For men: it can improve sperm motility. Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme which is created in the body naturally and helps generate energy in our cells, however unfortunately as we get older its production can decrease. Increasing it again using a supplement may help fertility, especially when going through IVF. Dosage varies depending on your specific needs however, anything between 300-1000mg a day for women and 200mg a day for men may be recommended.

Myoinositol: It can help with cycle regulation, mood stability and PCOS. Inositol is a carbohydrate similar to a vitamin and can help with a range of fertility issues. Depends on your specific needs, please consult a doctor if you are considering taking inositol.

Source:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/fertility-vitamins-to-consider#best-options

https://www.evewell.com/support/fertility-supplements/#:~:text=B%20vitamins%20(other%20than%20folic%20acid)&text=Vitamin%20B12%20in%20particular%20has,of%20your%20recommended%20B%20vitamins.