How to Improve Fertility Naturally

Medically Reviewed by Donald Spears, ND, MSOM, LAc

Quick Overview

Fertility begins long before you start trying to conceive. In this article, we explore how to improve fertility naturally through preparing the body at least three months before pregnancy in order to support healthy egg and sperm development, balance hormones, and improve your chances of conceiving a healthy pregnancy. You’ll learn what preconception care includes, common causes of infertility, and why most cases of “unexplained infertility” still have underlying imbalances that can be addressed. We also discuss practical ways both partners can improve fertility naturally through nutrition, lifestyle changes, targeted nutrients, and other natural therapies that support reproductive health. Taking a proactive, holistic approach to fertility can help shorten the time to conception and support a healthier pregnancy journey.

How to Improve Fertility Naturally

Bringing a child into the world is one of the most meaningful journeys many people will take. Yet for many couples, getting pregnant does not happen as quickly as expected. The good news is that there are many ways to support fertility naturally and prepare the body for a healthy pregnancy. Many couples choose to work with a practitioner trained in holistic women’s health and fertility support to help guide this process.

One of the most important ideas to understand is preconception care. Fertility does not begin the month you decide to try for a baby. It begins months earlier as your body prepares healthy eggs and sperm.

When couples focus on supporting fertility before trying to conceive, they often improve their chances of getting pregnant and supporting a healthy pregnancy.

Why Preconception Care Matters

Eggs and sperm take time to mature. For women, egg development occurs about 90 days before ovulation. For men, sperm production also takes about 70–90 days. Because of this, it is ideal to begin preparing the body at least three months before trying to conceive. 

Preconception care before actively trying to conceive will help you improve egg and sperm quality, balance your hormones, optimize your nutrient levels, and address any underlying health issues that could potentially affect you or your partner’s fertility. Think of this as laying the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

What Natural Preconception Care Can Include

Supporting fertility naturally often involves simple but powerful steps.

1. Nutrition and Lifestyle Support

Your daily habits directly influence fertility. Helpful changes include:

• Eating a mostly whole-foods diet rich in vegetables, healthy fats, protein, and fiber

• Reducing processed foods, refined sugar, and ultra-processed snacks

• Avoiding smoking and cannabis use

• Limiting alcohol

• Limiting caffeine intake

• Prioritizing sleep and stress management

2. Starting a High-Quality Prenatal Vitamin

A prenatal vitamin should ideally be started before pregnancy, not after a positive test. Key nutrients that support both fertility and pregnancy include: methylated folate (preferred over folic acid), choline, vitamin B12, and iodine. These nutrients help support egg quality, hormone production, and healthy fetal development.

Our naturopathic doctors are skilled at helping our patients find a high-quality prenatal vitamin best suited for their needs.

3. Comprehensive Fertility Lab Testing

Another important part of natural fertility care is understanding what is happening inside the body. A full fertility evaluation may include labs that assess reproductive hormones and hormone imbalances:

• Reproductive hormones (i.e. estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, FSH, LH, prolactin)

• Thyroid function

• Blood sugar and metabolic health

• Nutrient status

• Inflammatory markers

These tests can reveal imbalances that may affect fertility long before someone begins trying to conceive, so it’s important to get a baseline assessment first so changes can be made in the preconception period.

When Is Infertility Diagnosed?

It is important to remember that it can take time to get pregnant, even when both partners are healthy.

Infertility is generally defined as:

• 12 months of trying to conceive without success for women under age 35

• 6 months of trying for women age 35 and older

Many couples feel discouraged after just a few months, but some variation in time to conception is completely normal. However, if you have been trying to conceive for over a year without a positive pregnancy test, a full holistic evaluation is important to help unearth what could be impacting your fertility. 

Common Causes of Infertility

There are several common factors that can affect fertility. These may include:

• Structural issues, such as blocked fallopian tubes or uterine abnormalities like fibroids

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and irregular ovulation

• Endometriosis

• Hormone imbalances affecting egg quality or ovulation

• Male factor infertility, including low sperm count or poor sperm quality

What About “Unexplained Infertility”?

About 15–30% of couples diagnosed with infertility are told their infertility is “unexplained.” All this means is that conventional testing did not find a clear cause.

However, it’s a poor diagnosis as unexplained infertility does not necessarily mean nothing is wrong. It often means the deeper root imbalances have not yet been identified.

Functional issues with egg quality, sperm health, inflammation, hormone balance, metabolic health, your microbiome, or the uterine environment may be present that are not conventionally assessed on standard labs or imaging, but may still be impacting your fertility.

The Benefits of Improving Fertility Naturally

Supporting fertility naturally can have several benefits, whether you are just starting to think about pregnancy or you’ve been trying to conceive for awhile.

Natural fertility support can help:

• Shorten the time it takes to conceive

• Improve egg and sperm quality

• Support healthy implantation

• Reduce certain miscarriage risks (though many miscarriages are caused by genetic abnormalities and cannot be prevented)

Natural fertility support can also be very helpful for couples who are pursuing reproductive treatments like IUI or IVF, as optimizing the body beforehand can significantly improve success rates.

How to Improve Fertility Naturally

After the initial three months of preconception preparation, it is important to continue supporting fertility throughout the journey. It’s important to remember that both the male and female partners play an important role in conception, and so the health of both matters too.

Healthy Habits for Both Partners

Men and women should both focus on the foundations of health to support healthy hormones, metabolism, and egg/sperm quality. A few essential habits include:

• Eating a whole-foods diet

• Avoiding smoking and cannabis use

• Limiting alcohol intake

• Limiting caffeine

• Managing stress and supporting nervous system regulation

• Getting adequate sleep

Natural Fertility Support for Her

For women, egg quality plays a central role in fertility and healthy pregnancy outcomes. 

Several factors influence egg health, including:

• Nutrient status

• Oxidative stress

• Hormone balance

• Blood sugar regulation

• Inflammation

• Gut health

Supporting the body with nutrient-dense foods, key vitamins and minerals, and addressing any factors that may be negatively affecting egg quality can help create a healthier environment for egg development.

Aside from egg quality, healthy blood flow to the reproductive organs is also important. 

One therapy that can support this is Maya Abdominal Therapy, a traditional hands-on massage technique that helps improve circulation to the uterus and ovaries and encourages optimal positioning of the reproductive organs, which can support implantation and overall reproductive health.

Natural Fertility Support for Him

Male fertility is equally important. In fact, male factors contribute to fertility challenges in about half of all couples experiencing infertility.

Male factor fertility is dependent on sperm health. Sperm quantity and quality can be influenced by heat, environmental exposures, and nutrient levels, among other factors. Similarly to women, men can also experience issues with gut health, blood sugar regulation, or hormone balance that impact sperm health. A comprehensive men’s health evaluation can help identify and address these underlying factors.

Helpful habits for men include:

• Avoiding keeping phones in front pockets

• Avoiding laptops directly on the lap

• Limiting frequent hot tub or sauna use when trying to conceive

• Reducing prolonged bike riding

• Supporting nutrient intake for sperm health

Foods rich in zinc (such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and grass-fed meats), antioxidants like selenium (such as Brazil nuts), and omega 3s (found in fish) can help support healthy sperm production.

A Holistic Approach to Fertility

Fertility is influenced by many systems in the body working together. Hormones, metabolism, nutrient levels, inflammation, stress, and reproductive anatomy all play a role.

By taking a proactive approach and supporting the body before and during the journey to conception, couples can often improve their fertility naturally while also building the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and baby.