Is a vegetarian diet good for fertility?

It’s National Vegetarian Week, and the latest figures show there are just over 3 million vegetarians and vegans, with 4.5% of the UK population having a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Traditionally, meat was the star of a meal, but more and more of us are cutting back or cutting it out together, whether you’re a ‘classic’ vegetarian, lacto or ovo vegetarian, pescetarian or flexitarian. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet can be myriad, from boosting heart health, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, preventing diabetes and managing your weight to keeping your brain sharp and reducing the risk of cancer.

In our latest blog, we focus specifically on whether a vegetarian diet is good for fertility and explore how other popular diets, ranging from keto to vegan, affect fertility and IVF outcomes.

Does vegetarianism impact your fertility?

The first question should be, does diet affect your fertility? The reasons that couples are unable to conceive range from a woman’s ovaries not producing healthy eggs or blocked fallopian tubes that prevent the egg from moving to the womb to the egg’s inability to attach to the lining of the womb successfully. Male infertility can be the result of poor sperm quality, including motility, morphology and sperm count.

Even after tests, the cause of infertility may not always be clear, as about 15% of infertility cases remain unexplained.

No individual food or supplement can fix these potential issues, but there have been multiple studies into the positive and measurable influence of diet and other related lifestyle choices on fertility.

If done correctly, a vegetarian diet is at least as healthy as one that involves meat. It is important to clarify that any diet—whether plant-based or meat-focused—must be well-planned and varied in terms of nutrients and avoid ultra-process food (UPF). The popularity of plant-based meat alternatives has seen staggering growth in recent years.

In fact, it might be even better, as a 2015 study into IVF couples found that men’s meat consumption could affect the outcome of fertility treatments. Although poultry consumption had a positive impact, processed meats such as bacon and sausage, with men who ate the most processed meats, with an average of 4.3 servings a week, had just a 54% chance of achieving pregnancy with their partner.

What about other popular diets?

A recent study published in Nutrients journal examined the impact popular diets have on fertility. It analysed the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, the keto diet, and plant-based diets such as vegetarianism and veganism.

• Mediterranean diet: Rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains olive oil and other heart-healthy fats, this diet is routinely described as the gold standard for health and there is growing evidence it could also be beneficial for fertility.
• Dash diet: This diet was devised to lower blood pressure. It heavily features fruit, vegetables, and nuts with low meat and salt consumption. It’s been found to be beneficial for PCOS patients.
• Vegetarianism and veganism: Excluding meat and potentially all animal products, these diets can have many health benefits but could cause nutritional deficiencies if poorly planned.
• Ketogenic diet: high fat and low-carb diets have proven very successful in diabetes management or reversing obesity and have also shown significant benefits for women suffering from PCOS.
• Western diet: high in ultra-processed foods and chockfull of sugar and salt, this diet is linked with rising BMIs and associated health risks. Studies have also shown a negative impact on sperm quality and embryo development.

If you’re looking for more advice on nutrition and fertility, please visit our Support Hub, where we provide links to experienced and empathetic dieticians who treat couples and individuals undergoing fertility treatment. To arrange a consultation with one of our fertility experts, call +44 (0) 203 263 6025 or email admin@ariafertility.co.uk.