Top tips for pre-conception health

If you are planning to get pregnant, it is important that your body is in optimum health. Read our guide to getting healthy for a baby

man massaging woman

1. Taking a pregnancy supplement containing folic acid (try sageorganic.com) three months before you want to conceive will reduce the risk of your baby developing spina bifida.

2. The ideal body mass index (BMI) for conceiving is between 20-25. Calculate yours at eatwell.gov.uk.

3. Get checked out for genitourinary infections such as Chlamydia and have your immunity to rubella tested – it can cause birth defects if you’re exposed to it in pregnancy.

4. Eat a diet high in zinc (sources include seafood, meat, dairy products and nuts and seeds) and fresh fruit and vegetables, as these are proven to help boost fertility.

5. Smokers are three times as likely to take over a year to conceive. So quit! And cut down on the booze – that goes for your man, too.

Top tip for your man...

It may sound like an old wives’ tale but hot baths really do affect a man’s fertility, according to a new study from California University. Researchers recommend having a dunk in water warmed to no hotter than body temperature.