Fertility

Taking Control: How To Boost Your Fertility by Improving Your Health

Isabella Brown

Lifestyle changes can help you feel better and even boost fertility. Here's what to know.

Published:

Sep 14, 2020

Est. Read Time:

If you’re struggling to conceive, the journey can feel overwhelming, frustrating, and deeply emotional. While it’s natural to feel like much of the process is beyond your control, the good news is that you can take meaningful steps to support your fertility by prioritizing your overall health and well-being.

So, where should you focus your efforts—whether that's making adjustments, reducing certain habits, or increasing others—to give yourself the best chance of conceiving?

6 ways to boost your fertility by improving your health

Practicing a fertility-boosting diet

What you eat can have a significant impact on your fertility. Nearly half (46%) of infertility cases can be attributed to poor diet alone, and the majority of cases (66%) can be attributed to a combination of poor diet, inactivity, and being overweight.

You can also navigate and improve certain health conditions, like PCOS, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, and hypothalamic amenorrhea, through specific diet and eating choices.

>>MORE: Fertility and Diet: What’s the Link? (Plus, What to Eat)

So, what should you eat to boost your fertility?

Green leafy vegetables: packed with folic acid (Vitamin B9), these help boost fertility and reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) in developing fetuses.
Fish: high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties that can improve egg quality, maturation, and embryo implantation.
Whole grains: contain lignans and other compounds that support hormone balance and overall reproductive health.
Full-fat dairy: Studies suggest that full-fat dairy products may reduce the risk of ovulatory infertility.

Maintaining a healthy weight is also crucial for fertility. Women with obesity are more likely to experience ovulatory dysfunction and poorer IVF outcomes, while women who are underweight face increased risks of irregular ovulation and infertility. By making conscious, sustainable dietary changes and aiming for a balanced weight, you can enhance your fertility naturally.

Exercising regularly

Physical activity can be a powerful tool for improving your fertility. Regular, moderate exercise helps regulate blood sugar, insulin, and androgen levels, all of which play a role in ovulation and hormone balance. It also reduces inflammation, lowers stress levels, and supports overall well-being.

To exercise to boost fertility, remember that all movement is valuable. It's recommended to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day, and to include a variety of exercises in your weekly routine.

Yet while exercising is important, be careful not to overdo it. Workouts that are too strenuous—like seven or more hours of aerobic exercise a week—can increase your risk for ovulatory problems.

Drinking less

Reducing your alcohol intake can help prevent health and infertility issues.

Heavy drinking is linked to ovulatory issues—the number one cause of infertility. Binge drinking (more than five standard drinks in one occasion) has been shown to cause miscarriage, still birth, premature birth, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

So, can you drink at all while trying to conceive? Moderate drinking (fewer than seven drinks per week for women and 14 for men) is unlikely to have a significant impact on fertility, but even moderate alcohol consumption carries some risks. To optimize fertility, limiting alcohol as much as possible—or avoiding it altogether—is the safest choice.

Avoiding smoking

Smoking has a well-documented negative impact on fertility. The chemicals in cigarette smoke can accelerate egg loss, increase the likelihood of early menopause, and harm the quality of eggs and sperm. Women who smoke are more likely to experience fertility problems, miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and complications during pregnancy.

The good news? Quitting smoking can significantly improve your fertility. It’s never too late to stop and give your body the best chance to conceive.

Getting enough sleep

Sleep is a vital but often overlooked component of reproductive health. During sleep, your body regulates key fertility hormones, including luteinizing hormone (LH), which triggers ovulation. Chronic sleep deprivation can disrupt these hormone levels, potentially affecting your cycle and ovulation.

There are a few things you can do to get more sleep and boost your fertility:

Establish a routine: Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help regulate your body's schedule, and make it easier to fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Limit light, caffeine, and alcohol before bed: All three of these factors can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Make sure you're moving during the day: Doing exercise during the day, even if it's low-impact, can help you fall asleep faster.

Reducing stress

It's a cruel paradox—trying to conceive can be stressful, but too much stress can negatively affect your fertility.

High cortisol levels (the stress hormone) may disrupt the production of reproductive hormones and interfere with ovulation.

To reduce stress and support your fertility:

Practice relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, or yoga.
Engage in physical activities you enjoy, like walking or dancing.
Focus on hobbies and activities that bring you joy.
Lean on your support network—whether it’s friends, family, or a therapist—for emotional support.

Remember, reducing stress doesn’t mean eliminating it entirely—it’s about finding healthy ways to cope and create balance in your life.

The bottom line

Everyone’s health, hormones, and cycles are unique, which means women have different needs when it comes to improving chances of conception. Yet your fertility is not completely out of your control. By focusing on your health and wellness, you can help boost your fertility to increase your chances of conceiving.

Looking for daily action plans to help guide you in taking the right steps to improve your fertility, as well as clear, reliable fertility tracking? Try the Oova kit.

About the author

Isabella Brown is an experienced communications and marketing professional at top health companies. She currently serves as the External Communications Lead at Oscar Health. Prior to this role, Isabella held positions as an Associate in Social Media and Content at Oscar Health and as a Marketing Associate and Content Marketing Intern at Oova.

Sources

American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2021). Obesity and Reproduction: A Committee Opinion.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2014). Smoking and infertility.
Blakeway, J. (n.d.). Why regular exercise can improve your fertility (and how to know if you’re doing too much).
Chavarro, J. E., Rich-Edwards, J. W., Gaskins, A. J., Farland, L. V., Terry, K. L., Zhang, C., & Missmer, S. A. (2016). Contributions of the Nurses' Health Studies to Reproductive Health Research.
Jurczewska, J., & Szostak-Węgierek, D. (2022). The Influence of Diet on Ovulation Disorders in Women-A Narrative Review.
Karunyam, B. V., Abdul Karim, A. K., Naina Mohamed, I., Ugusman, A., Mohamed, W. M. Y., Faizal, A. M., Abu, M. A., & Kumar, J. (2023). Infertility and cortisol: a systematic review.
Whitcomb, B. W., Purdue-Smithe, A. C., Szegda, K. L., Boutot, M. E., Hankinson, S. E., Manson, J. E., Rosner, B., Willett, W. C., Eliassen, A. H., & Bertone-Johnson, E. R. (2018). Cigarette Smoking and Risk of Early Natural Menopause.

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About the Oova Blog:
‍Our content is developed with a commitment to high editorial standards and reliability. We prioritize referencing reputable sources and sharing where our insights come from. The Oova Blog is intended for informational purposes only and is never a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider before making any health decisions.

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