Women offered nutritional tips on how to conceive

Couples who are trying for a baby could follow nutritional advice to enhance their chances of conceiving, according to one expert.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston, a nutritionist for First Response, said that there are several foods which women can eat in order to enhance the chances of conceiving, as well as ensuring that the pregnancy is a healthy and comfortable one.

She told health insurance customers that it is essential for the body to be in good condition before fertilisation can occur, as people who are weak or not well-nourished may struggle throughout the pregnancy.

"Your body needs to be reassured that it will have enough stores of nutrients to invest in nine months of hard labour developing a new life and maintaining yours. There also needs to be enough of the right nutrients to support the genetic material from both partners to start the magic of life," Ms Bishop-Weston said.

The expert's comments came after a new report issued by the Office for National Statistics showed that last year there were increases in fertility across all age groups, with an average of 1.97 children per woman in England and Wales, an increase from 1.92 in 2007 and the seventh consecutive annual rise since 2001.

According to the specialist, health cover holders hoping to conceive should eat a wide variety of foods to make sure that they are getting all the nutrients needed.

She concluded: "Apart from avoiding foods with lots of empty calories and few useful nutrients, you should avoid foods rich in harmful processed fats such as hydrogenated fat that can hinder a body's ability to process essential fats."

Posted by Stephen Tate

Find out about our Health Insurance Plans. 

Adfero Ltd provides live and tailored breaking industry news for Chartis Direct. All industry news is prepared by Adfero Ltd and as such does not represent the views or opinions of Chartis Direct a trading name of UNAT Direct Insurance Management Limited.

© Adfero Ltd 2008