Foods to Avoid When Trying to Conceive

Nutrition and fertility articles are full of suggestions for foods that may help you to stay healthy and fertile when trying to conceive. But it’s important to know which foods to avoid, too. Watch out for these x foods.

High-mercury fish

Fish can be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, but certain kinds are high in mercury, which can build up in your body and be harmful to your baby. Avoid swordfish, shark, and mackerel.

Alcohol

No one’s saying you can’t enjoy a glass of wine or a beer while trying to conceive (and it may help you relax from the stress), but avoid drinking to excess. Binge drinking can lead to irregular menstrual cycles and hormonal imbalances.

Coffee

Apply the same rule of moderation to caffeine: one or two cups of coffee or tea ( around 200 milligrams of caffeine) a day is perfectly fine, but more than that can impair your fertility. Heavy caffeine consumption has been associated with fertility problems.

Certain dairy products

Certain dairy products may contain a kind of bacteria called listeria, which is linked with a higher risk of miscarriage. To prevent this risk, avoid soft cheeses like goat’s cheese and brie, blue-veined cheeses like Stilton, and pate. Listeria can also be present in deli and smoked meats, so it’s a good rule to avoid those as well.

Soy

High consumption of soy has been linked to lower fertility. You don’t have to cut out the occasional serving of edamame or soy milk in your coffee, but keep soy levels down. This may be tricky for vegetarians who love tofu and other soy products. Try looking for other veggie sources of protein, like beans.

Raw meat, fish, unpasteurized cheeses and eggs

Put down the raw cookie dough! Raw meat and eggs exposes you to a risk of salmonella, listeria, or other food-borne bacteria, which in turn increases your risk of miscarriage.