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Did you know that 1 in 6 couples have trouble falling pregnant within the first 12 months? If you are planning a pregnancy, preconception care is important to support a healthy reproductive system and normal conception, particularly as many couples are delaying starting a family until later in life.  

Apart from exercise and a healthy diet, one of the best ways to ensure that you and your baby are in prime health is by looking at some form of supplementation with preconception vitamins. Men also need to be in prime physical health to conceive a healthy baby, so it is essential that they also undergo some preconception care and take preconception vitamins for men as well.

Whilst a healthy diet can provide you with all the vitamins you need, not everyone has a balanced diet, and you may not be sure if you are getting enough, so one of the best ways to guarantee you get everything you need is through daily supplementation.  There are lots of preconception and fertility vitamins on the market but what do you really need when you are trying to conceive?

Folate/Folic Acid - Folate is probably the most important vitamin that you need to take if you want to start a family.  You need to start taking Folate at least 3 months, but preferably six months before you try to conceive.  

If you are already pregnant, start taking it now! Folate has been proven to decrease the chance of such diseases as Spina Bifida by about 92% and there is now even some new research that suggests that it may also decrease the risk of Down’s Syndrome.

Iodine - Iodine is an important mineral in which 90% of women have a deficiency.  If you don’t want to take extra vitamins try using Iodised salt.

Calcium - A growing baby will steal as much calcium and Vitamin D it can from your body, and the first place it will go if stocks are low are your bones and teeth, so keep your levels of calcium high through either supplementation or lots of dairy foods.

Vitex - Vitex is an important vitamin if you are having trouble regulating your cycle and is fantastic for people such as myself that have come off the pill after many years.  Now the thing with Vitex is that you shouldn’t take it if you think you might be pregnant, so you have two options here.

1) Take it everyday for a few months whilst not trying to conceive, this will help your body and hormones sort themselves out and make your cycle more regular.  You can use this time to start your charting; or

2) Once you start trying to conceive only take it for 2 weeks out of each month.

Basically don’t take it from the day you are due to ovulate up until the day you get your period.  Once you get your period you know that you aren’t pregnant and it is safe to take it again until your next ovulation day.  If you don’t get your period, then hey, you may be Pregnant!!!!

I had really irregular periods after stopping the pill after 20 years but vitex worked for me and pretty quickly.

Multi vitamins - A good blend of vitamins and minerals are essential.  Your growing baby will be taking all its needed nutrients straight from you, so you need to make sure it has everything it needs and that there are enough left over to keep you healthy.

Fish Oil - We have all heard by now the benefits of Omega 3’s.  They are vital in the preparation and conception of a baby, and not only decrease the chances of miscarriage but ensure healthy sight, brain and hearing development.

Preconception Vitamins For Her

www.blackmores.com.au/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=1912

www.blackmores.com.au/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=1979

http://elevit.com.au/preparing-for-pregnancy/pre-pregnancy-nutrition/

www.naturesown.com.au/en/products/conception-support

www.fertilaid.com/formula.asp

Preconception Vitamins For Him

www.blackmores.com.au/Pregnancy/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=2088

www.blackmores.com.au/Products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=2191

www.fertilaid.com/male-fertility.asp

http://www.totallynatural.com.au/sperm_max.htm

Preconception Vitamins - Getting Enough

You may be wondering what the best way is to get all of these wonderful vitamins and whether you will need to be swallowing ten pills a day to get everything you need.  Well the good news is, that there are a few specific preconception vitamins on the market such as Blackmore’s, Elevit and Nature’s own, which makes deciding what to take a lot easier, and ensures you are not getting too much or too little of any specific vitamin.

For me, I really liked Blackmore’s Conceive Well Gold.  It has all the vitamins and minerals you need, including lots of folate, iodine, coQ10 and essential omega 3 fatty acids. And for him, we tried Blackmore’s Men’s Performance Multi, which has everything he needs except for the fish oil, which he will need to take separately.   I have attached a few websites below if you want to do some comparisons. However, if you have any doubts or have any questions talk to your Doctor.  

A 56 pack of Blackmore’s Conceive Well Gold retails for around $39.95,so try buying it in bulk off the internet or from such places as Chemist Warehouse, you should be able to pick them up at least 20% less than the RRP.

If you would like to read up a little bit more about the different types of preconception vitamins available, or would like to compare the various preconception products, please check out some of the below websites.

Got any advice to share about preconception vitamins? Then please email us.....

SpermMax (spermax) - What is spermmax and where do you buy it. Find out here:

SpermMax is a relatively new all in one product on the market deigned for men who are trying to prepare their bodies for their partner’s conception.  It has been advertised on the radio lately, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information or feedback out there about it.  The product is made by Totally Natural Products and is a scientifically formulated blend of herbs and nutrients designed for men trying to conceive a child.  It has been designed to help with Sperm health Sperm quality (shape and movement), Hereditary DNA building blocks, Seminal volume and Stress Libido.  TNP is a good Australian Company so it would probably be worth a try. If you do use it, be sure to give us some feedback on how you go.

Zinc - Zinc is essential for the male reproductive system, particularly the manufacturing of sperm so is one of the most essential preconception vitamins for men

Selenium - Selenium used to found in most foods but with the change in farming and salinity in our soils most people are not getting enough.

Fish Oil - Again Fish Oil is almost a wonder drug with too many benefits for the other half of your baby’s chromosomes not to be laced thick with it.

Learn More about Preconception Care and What to expect during pregnancy.

Check out my list of preconception vitamins below for both you and your partner.  And if you want to find out how at age 35, and after 20 years on the pill I got pregnant first then after you read all about your preconception vitamins, make sure you visit my charting page.  And don’t forget to visit my gender selection pages if you are also interested in seeing how I made sure I got my little girl.