Infertility Clinics Oxon Hill MD

By Miki Shima, o.m.d.

Q: Are there any changes I can make to my diet, or any herbs I can take, that will help me get pregnant?

A: Diet definitely plays a role in fertility. One of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of conceiving is to up your intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Although fish is often touted as a good source of essential fatty acids, I advise women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant to stay away from those that contain high levels of mercury, such as swordfish and tuna. I would even avoid some species that are generally considered a low mercury risk, such as halibut and salmon, since they are relatively long-lived and have plenty of time to accumulate mercury. In the same vein, make sure that any fish oil supplements you take are molecularly distilled or steam-stripped, which means they have had the mercury and arsenic removed.

Flaxseed is also an excellent way to get omega-3s. Buy ground flaxseed and sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on your breakfast cereal every day.

As for herbs, an herbalist or acupuncturist can customize them to your individual constitution and to the phases of your menstrual cycle. If you prescribe them for yourself, you could wind up with some unwanted effects, such as extra estrogen production at times in your cycle when it should be decreasing.

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