“Anybody who’s trying to conceive should take a 400 microgram folic acid supplement from around three months before conception until at least the 12th week of pregnancy, as this can help prevent birth defects like spina bifida.³ If you’re ever unsure, just speak to your GP or midwife.

Ten micrograms of vitamin D throughout the winter months is recommended, but if you have low levels, you may need to take more.³

“Many people take prenatal supplements⁴ usually containing folic acid or folate, vitamin D, vitamin, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, and zinc.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before using supplements. Discontinue use and consult a doctor if adverse reactions occur.

Ideally we want to make sure you’re able to get your vitamins from your diet, but if you feel you’re not quite able to if you have a restricted diet, then consider taking a multi-nutrient supplement. Folic acid and vitamin D during the winter are the two that can support your wellbeing."

“So generally a Mediterranean diet⁵ is a great foundation to start from.

Try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, making sure there’s as much colour as possible, such as:

• plant-based proteins
• legumes
• chickpeas
• beans
• lentils

Other foods to look at are whole grains and oily fish – try to aim for one to two portions per week as they’re the best dietary source of the omega-3 fatty acids.

Finally, unsaturated fats that we tend to see in foods like nuts, virgin olive oil and avocados.”

“Important factors include:

• smoking⁶ – this is strongly linked to reduced fertility. It can affect egg quality, sperm count and can lead to early menopause
• weight – this can influence fertility at both ends of the scale. So whether you have  a low BMI⁷ or a higher BMI⁸ it can disrupt hormone levels and ovulation, and can impact sperm production
• alcohol intake⁹ – consuming alcohol when you could be in the early stages of pregnancy, leads to heightened risk of miscarriage or health implications on the foetus. Moderate and high levels of alcohol consumption can also affect the sperm quality
• environmental toxins¹⁰ – there’s a growing space where researchers are discussing exposure to environmental toxins and chemicals, BPA, phthalates, parabens and also pesticides in heavy metals. These have all been shown to potentially have a negative impact on fertility
• stress – does infertility cause stress or distress cause infertility? We don't really have the answer to that, but obviously we would just want to minimise stress just in case it could have a negative impact on fertility”