Are food and nutrition important for fertility(출산,다산)?
Having trouble conceiving a child is a relatively common problem experienced by one in every six couples. Factors that affect fertility may be genetic, environmental or behavioural.
A variety of medical treatments are available that may increase fertility and assist in conception but these can be invasive(침략적인) and expensive. In many cases, focusing on food and nutrition is a potentially useful approach to increase the fertility of men and women and may aid these medical approaches.
For men
Zinc and Folate(엽산)
Spermatogenesis(정자생성), the process of producing sperm and increasing the sperm count, can be affected by what a man eats. Food and nutrition also affects sperm quality (including their ability to swim towards and penetrate the egg). In fact, what a man eats today will determine his sperm quality in the next 90 days (지금먹은 음식은 90일 뒤에 정자의 상태를 결정한다 It is therefore important for men to eat a healthy diet in the months before trying for a baby. Two nutrients that are essential for healthy and abundant sperm are zinc and folate 아연과 엽산.
Zinc is required both for spermatogenesis and sperm motility. Good sources of zinc include oysters, lean red meat and egg yolk. Vegetarians can increase their zinc intake by eating more green leafy vegetables and tofu. Some seeds such as pumpkin and squash seeds contain zinc as do nuts particularly cashews, pine nuts and pecan nuts.
Folate is required for the synthesis of DNA which carries our genetic information in sperm. Good sources of folate include vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, wholegrain/cereal products and wheat germ. In some countries, folate can be found in foods that have been fortified(영양을높인) with folate such as white flour and bread. Fortified breakfast cereals have been shown in dietary surveys to provide quite a substantial amount of the population’s folate requirements. Researchers have found that taken under medical supervision, a combined zinc and folate supplement can assist with increasing the sperm count in men.
More studies are needed however, to examine the effects of eating specific zinc-rich and folate-rich foods to improve sperm quality.
Antioxidants(산화방지제)
Sperm are also easily damaged by free-radicals, a group of very reactive compounds that circulate in the body and damage cells. Antioxidants are molecules that can protect against this damage by neutralising the free-radicals. Antioxidants include nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium. These are commonly found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Particularly good sources of selenium include brazil nuts, meat, oily fish, mushrooms and oysters.
Milk, cheese and eggs are also sources of vitamin E and selenium. In areas where the soil is known to be low in selenium, the content of selenium in food can be much lower so take advice from a local health professional about selenium and the need for supplements depending on where you live.
For women
Coeliac disease(소아 지방변증) *
In recent decades significant data have confirmed a link between coeliac disease and fertility. Women with untreated coeliac disease experience a significantly delayed menarche (time of first menstrual bleeding), an increased risk of secondary amenorrhea (failure to menstruate), incur higher miscarriage rates and have an earlier menopause.
The consumption of a gluten free diet in women with untreated coeliac disease may increase the chance of a successful pregnancy.
Balanced diet
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health suggest that a well-balanced diet that includes carbohydrates with a low-glycaemic index*, monounsaturated fats and protein from predominantly plant sources may increase fertility. Their findings do not guarantee pregnancy but the healthy eating messages can be applied safely and at a low cost.
What we know for sure is that women of a healthy body weight have higher fertility rates than those who are both underweight and overweight. Being underweight and having a low body fat percentage can disrupt(두절시키다) the menstrual cycle while excess weight-gain can affect the hormones that regulate ovulation and pregnancy. Therefore, it is recommended that women achieve a healthy weight before they attempt to get pregnant.
Overall, everyone can improve their fertility by consuming a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods such as wholegrain cereals, fruit, and sources of protein such as lean meat, fish, beans, legumes and nuts. Vegetables especially green leafy vegetables are very important and calcium-rich foods such as dairy products or seeds and grains containing calcium are also important to include in a diet to prepare you for pregnancy.
Food choices may not solve all fertility problems but it is a good place to start.
There's really no magic formula for a healthy pregnancy diet. In fact, during pregnancy, the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same. Get plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. However, a few new trends in a pregnancy diet deserve special attention, and here's the one that top the list.
First, we have folate, or folic acid as it's commonly found in supplements, which is a B vitamin that is essentially in early pregnancy, because it prevents neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord, which usually occur in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she's pregnant. And because about 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, it is recommended that all women of childbearing age eat folate rich foods, in order to increase their folate intake. Women should aim for at least 600 micrograms of folate in their normal diet each day. And for those women who are planning a pregnancy, or are even in their first trimester, a folic acid supplement is also recommended. So if we take a look at some of the foods high in folate, we can see that folate is present in a wide variety of foods. Some of these foods include vegetables, such as spinach, and broccoli, and asparagus, and fruits, such as oranges and bananas, and even strawberries. As well as legumes, like chickpeas, and dried beans, and lentils, and even yeast extracts like vegemite or marmite. Folate is also now commonly found in breads and cereals that contain folate fortified wheat flour, which has now become mandatory in most countries since 2009. If a pregnant woman can find a folic acid supplement that contains iodine(요오드), it is of added benefit, as the World Health Organization and other international government authorities have recently begun recommending that pregnant women consume a daily iodine supplement, to optimise neurodevelopmental outcomes in their children.
The next nutrient of interest is iron. Iron is a really important mineral during pregnancy, because the body uses iron to make hemoglobin.Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. If you don't have enough iron in your blood, cells can become starved of oxygen. During pregnancy, iron is particularly important to produce extra blood cells to cater for the growth of the baby and the placenta. To ensure an optimal iron status during pregnancy, the recommended daily amount is doubled to 27 milligrams of iron per day. There is currently not enough evidence to support routine iron supplements during pregnancy. However, pregnant women are at high risk of low iron intakes and iron deficiency anemia, and therefore iron status needs to be regularly monitored throughout pregnancy. Good sources of iron include animal products, such as lean red meats, fish, poultry, and eggs. Well, some vegetarian foods high in iron also can include dried beans, and peas, green vegetables, such as asparagus, and also fortified breads and cereals. Eating these plant based sources of irons with foods high in vitamin C is also a really good way to maximize iron absorption.
Pregnant women also need lots of calcium to help their growing baby build strong bones and teeth. Calcium also plays a role in ensuring the circulatory, muscular, and nervous systems function normally. The recommended daily intake of calcium for an adult woman during pregnancy is 1,000 milligrams per day, whereas pregnant teenagers need a little bit more at 1,300 milligrams per day. Good sources of calcium include dairy foods, like milk, yogurt, and cheese, calcium fortified products, such as soy, and many fruit juices, and breakfast cereals, and also to a lesser degree, green leafy vegetables, like broccoli and spinach, and also nuts.
A vitamin that is currently of great interest to both the medical and research communities is vitamin D. Vitamin D is not only important in the development of healthy bones and teeth. It can promote insulin action and secretion, immune modulation, and also lung development. Recent research is also telling us that low vitamin D status during pregnancy is associated with conditions including the development of childhood allergy, high risk of gestational diabetes during pregnancy, low birth weight babies, and other pregnancy complications like preeclampsia. The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D for women during pregnancy is between five to 10 micrograms, or 200 to 400 international units per day, depending on which countries recommendations you are following. Recommendations for vitamin D during pregnancy increase to 1,000 international units per day for women who are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency. So these are those women with increased skin pigmentation, low exposure to the sun, or have a obese body composition. While UV radiation from the sun is necessary for the production of vitamin d in the skin, and is the best natural source of vitamin D, women really need to balance sun exposure with skin cancer risk. There are small amounts of vitamin D in some foods, such as oily fish and eggs, but it is really difficult to get enough vitamin D from foods alone. Most people only get between 5% to 10% of their vitamin D intake from foods. Eating foods fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, and cereals is also a really good way to increase vitamin D intake.
Protein is also crucial for fetal growth, especially during the second and third trimesters.The recommended dietary intake of protein during pregnancy is a one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Lean meats, poultry, fish, and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include dried beans and peas, tofu, dairy products, and nuts. Some grain and cereal based products are also sources of protein, but they are generally not as high in protein as meat and meat alternative products.
Eating a healthy diet in preparation for pregnancy and to boost fertility is one of the most powerful health changes a pregnant woman and her partner can make. Research has shown that specific changes to the diet can improve fertility, prevent recurrent miscarriage, and really support a healthy pregnancy. Did you know that the foods you eat today impact the health of your eggs and sperms 90 days from now? And that an embryo and young fetus need specific nutrients before pregnancy can even be detected, with a deficiency in those nutrients, having the ability to cause serious birth defects?
Do women need to eat for two in pregnancy?
Most people are familiar with the phrase, ‘You’re eating for two,’ related to pregnancy. We don’t know when it was first used to justify a second serve of dinner or snacking on treats that once might have been saved for special occasions. In reality, this idea is not true. While a woman’s nutrient needs are much higher during pregnancy, her total energy requirements only increase slightly.
Nutrient needs during pregnancy
In fact during the first trimester (3 months) of pregnancy, women do not require any extra energy from food. - 첫 3달동안은 추가적 음식을 먹을 필요없다. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council says that energy requirements then only increase in the second trimester (3 to 6 months) by approximately 330 kcal (1400 kJ) per day. This is equivalent to one tub of low fat yoghurt, plus one cereal bar and one piece of fruit. ; 3-6달 사이에선 하루 330 칼로리 이상 섭취를 권장. - 저지방요거트나 시리얼 바 하나, 시리얼바 그리고 과일 하나면 충분.
During the third trimester (6 months until birth), women require an extra 450 kcal (1900 kJ) per day. This is equivalent to a bowl of cereal with milk plus a cheese sandwich. However, there is an increased need for many important nutrients during pregnancy (protein, folate, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine and fibre). 6개월 부터 출산하기전 까지는 하루에 450칼로리 정도를 더 섭취해야되는데, 한그릇의 시리얼과 우유 그리고 치즈 샌드위치 하나면 충분하다. : 중요)단백질, 엽산, 칼슘, 철, 아연, 섬유소 섭취 권장.
To meet the high nutrient demands of pregnancy, a wide variety of different nutrient-dense foods, rather than energy-dense foods, should be chosen.
A nutrient dense food contains high levels of many nutrients such as protein, minerals and vitamins in each gram of food; an energy-dense food provides high levels of food energy (kJ/g) but may be quite poor in nutrients.
Healthy food choices can be found in the five food groups: vegetables, fruit, cereals and whole grains, lean-meat (or meat alternatives) and dairy.
Here’s a quick guide to the best sources.
Protein:meat, chicken, seafood, dairy products, legumes and grains, nuts, eggs.
Folate:bread and breakfast cereal that has been fortified with folate, green leafy vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, oranges.
Calcium:dairy foods, fortified soy drinks, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds such as sesame, canned fish with bones.
Iodine:canned salmon and tuna, other fish, oysters, bread fortified with iodine.
Fibre:wholemeal and wholegrain breads, high fibre cereals, oats, vegetables and fruit with the skin on.
Energy needs during pregnancy
Total energy requirements during pregnancy depend on many factors including physical activity. While energy is required to support the growth and development of a new life and the development of the woman’s own maternal tissue, women compensate for their additional demands by slowing down, becoming less active and metabolically efficient.
Can you eat too much?
Eating too much while pregnant can lead to excessive weight gain and an increased risk of pregnancy complications. It also makes it more difficult for a mother to return to her pre-pregnancy weight.
The best way to determine whether a pregnant woman is consuming adequate energy is to monitor her weight gain or to have her dietary intake assessed by a registered dietitian.
So the phrase,‘You’re eating for two’isdefinitelyonly amyth. Energy requirements do not change in the first trimester and they only increase by about 15% towards the end of pregnancy. On the other hand, nutrient requirements do increase substantially during pregnancy. Meeting these requirements requires a varied, healthy diet.
If the mother does not have a healthy diet, shifts in how nutrients are metabolised during pregnancy can enable the healthy growth and development of the baby and maternal tissue, but the mother’s health can suffer (for example, if the mother’s diet is lacking in calcium, the baby will get calcium from the mother’s bones).
What about supplements?
Prenatal supplements can assist with the delivery of nutrients in cases of deficiency but these should always be taken under medical supervision. Excessive intake of some supplements can cause damage to the baby.
Overall, the key to the pregnancy diet is nutritious high-quality food, not merely increasing food quantity.
Complete this sentence. In order to increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant, women should…
achieve a healthy weight if they are overweight or obese and eat two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day.
All women of child-bearing age should consume 400ug of synthetic folic acid per day (obtained from fortified foods and/or supplements).
Supplementation for nutrients other than folate is not required unless there is a known nutrient deficiency.
Most women of child-bearing age are not getting enough vitamins (A, C, B6, E, folic acid) and minerals (calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium) in their diet.
Women should ask their doctor about the safety of their use of dietary supplements (vitamin/mineral/herbal/weight loss, etc) as part of a preconception care plan.
: A well-balanced diet that includes a wide variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, calcium and iron rich foods and protein-containing foods is important for a mother-to be to meet her nutrient requirements but even this healthy diet may not provide sufficient folate which is why supplementation is necessary in this case.
Nutrient supplements are not required pre-pregnancy unless there is a known nutrient deficiency. The important exception to this is folate. All women are advised to take a folic acid supplement at least three months before conception to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in their baby.
