In June 2018 researchers from Australia, New Zealand and the UK assessed the effect of diet on the time taken to fall pregnant and risk of infertility. 5,598 women who had fallen pregnant for the first time were included in the study, 340 of whom had fallen pregnant via the use of fertility treatments. Dietary information for one month prior to conception was obtained by a research midwife at the time of the first ante-natal visit. Results showed that a lower intake of fruit and a higher intake of fast food were both associated with modest increases in the time taken to fall pregnant as well as infertility. Compared with women who consumed more than 3 servings of fruit per day, the effect of consuming fruit between 1-3 times per day, 1-6 times per week or less than 1-3 times per month resulted in a 6%, 11% and 19% increase in the time it took to fall pregnant. Similarly, compared with women who consumed fast food 4+ times per week, the effect of consuming fast food 2-4 times per week, 0-2 times per week or no fast food corresponded to an 11%, 21% and 24% reduction in the time it had taken to fall pregnant. For infertility, compared with women who consumed more than 3 servings of fruit per day, the effect of consuming fruit 1-3 times per day, 1-6 times per week or 1-3 times per month corresponded to a 7%, 18% and 29% increase in risk of infertility. Similarly, compared with women who consumed fast food 4+ times per week, the effects of consuming fast food 2-4 times per week, 0-2 times per week, or no fast food, corresponded to an 18, 34 and 41% reduced risk of infertility. Pre-pregnancy consumption of green leafy vegetables or fish did not appear to be associated with either the time it took to fall pregnant or infertility.
Grieger JA et al. Pre-pregnancy fast food and fruit intake is associated with time to pregnancy. Hum Reprod. 2018 Jun 1;33(6):1063-1070