Fertility & Pregnancy Nutrition

Question 1

What dietary patterns are successful for IVF in females?

Answer 1

• Replace trans fat with MUFA
• Replace animal fat with plant fat
• Low GI foods
• 1 or more servings per day of high fat dairy
• Eat fish 2 times/week

Question 2

What dietary patterns are successful for IVF in males for DNA fragmentation index?

Answer 2

Decrease: fruits, veggies, and nuts

Question 3

What dietary patterns are successful for IVF in males for volume?

Answer 3

Decrease: Mayo and fatty salads
Increase: Eggs

Question 4

What dietary patterns are successful for IVF in males for concentration?

Answer 4

Decrease: Non-alcoholic drinks, soup, high carb snacks, Western diet and processed meat

Increase: Fish, potatoes, and veggies

Question 5

What dietary patterns are successful for IVF in males for motility?

Answer 5

Decrease: Margarine and processed meat

Increase: Fish and veggies

Question 6

What are the dietary and supplemental strategies to recommend to male patients trying to conceive?

Answer 6

1. Fish and veggies
2. Replace saturated fat with PUFA
3. Replace animal fat with plant fat
4. Limit soy consumption
5. Fish oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin D

Question 7

What are the dietary and supplemental strategies to recommend to female patients trying to conceive?

Answer 7

1. Iron and folic acid
2. fish and veggies
3. Multivitamin

Question 8

What is the term for: maternal under or overnutrition ‘programs’ infant to be predisposed to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and HTN?

Answer 8

Fetal Programming

Question 9

What are the recommendations for energy, carbs and fiber for a pregnant female?

Answer 9

Energy: 2000 Cal standard daily

• 1st trimester: 0 extra Cal needed
• 2nd trimester: 340 extra Cal needed
• 3rd trimester: 450 extra Cal needed

Carbs: 175g/day

Fiber: DRI = 28g/day

Question 10

What are the recommendations for energy, carbs and fiber for a lactating female?

Answer 10

Energy: 2000 standard daily
0-6 months: +330 Cal
6+ months: +400 Cal

Carbs: 210 g/day (to prevent ketosis)
Fiber: DRI = 28g/day

Question 11

What supplements are recommended for a female during pregnancy and lactation?

Answer 11

• Multivitamin
• Vitamin D
• Fish oil
• Iron (take with vitamin C)
• zinc and copper taken separately from iron and vit. c
• choline
• NO herbals

Question 12

What are the recommendations for alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, artificial sweeteners & fish during pregnancy?

Answer 12

Alcohol = NO

Cigarettes = NO

Artificial sweeteners = use minimally: Acesulfame-K, neotame, aspartame and sucralose
(absolutely NO saccharin and try to avoid stevia as there is no research on it)

Caffeine: Okay, but in high doses can cause miscarriage.
-Less than 200mg/day

Fish = YES, 12 oz. of cooked, low mercury fish/week
(limit to only 6 oz. of albacore tuna)

Question 13

How long does it take for iron and folate values to normalize after pregnancy?

Answer 13

Iron: 2-4 months

Folate: >6 months

Question 14

When does the incidence of postpartum depression peak after pregnancy?

Answer 14

12 weeks

Question 15

What are some nutritional strategies to treat PPD?

Answer 15

• Fish/omega 3s
• Iron
• Zinc
• Vitamin D
• Folate
• Selenium