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Losing weight does help a lot – according to researchers- in the process of getting pregnant. The doctors that wrote the book that we reviewed some blogs ago, The Fertility Diet, (see Eating Healthier…1) say that women that are in the appropriate body mass index (BMI 20 to 24, 21 being the ideal) seem to be less likely to have fertility problems.

BMI is an index calculated statistically that indicates appropriate average weight according to height. You can calculate it by dividing your weight by your height’s square. If you are high above the recommended zone, doctors recommend trying to lose 7.5 percent of your body weight, which can improve ovulation, even if you are not within the ideal range suggested.

The mentioned book suggests keeping a food diary to see how much you’re eating , and why, and see if you can restrict food intake, having in mind how many calories you need to lose some kilos. It states that cutting out as few as 250 calories a day can get you to start losing weight, combined with 30 minutes walks or daily exercise, which can get you to lose about half a kilo a week.

Other things you can do to improve your diet are having a good breakfast, eating two more servings of vegetable and one more of fruit daily, choosing whole grains, getting proteins with every meal, eating healthy fats, drinking a lot of water, cutting back on the night-time snacks and taking prenatal vitamins.

A team of scientists at Yale School of Medicine have discovered that in-utero exposure to the hormone grhelin, a molecule that controls hunger and nutrition, can develop into a fertility problem and fewer offspring.The research and its results were presented recently in an abstract at the 2008 Society for Gynaecologic Investigation (SGI) Annual Scientific Meeting that took place in California, USA, from March 26-29.

This hormone, grhelin, also called “hunger hormone”, is produced in the stomach and brain and induces food and other energy sources intakes. It decreases the HOXA 10 gene that is involved in the development of the uterus, determining how it will develop during adulthood.

The lead author on the abstract, Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and section chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Yale School of Medicine, said that in obese people “ghrelin levels are lower, and based on these preliminary findings, they may result in lower fertility”

The investigators bred mice which were deficient in ghreling production. These animals had offspring with less fertility than normal, and produced smaller litter sizes. They also had lower expression of the HOXA 10 gene, which allows proper development of the uterus in the embryo. In the adults, it helps the uterus provide a proper environment for the embryo.

Taylor added that the findings stress out the key importance of nutrition in fertility, as well as energy use and appropriate ghrelin levels for normal uterine development. He said as well that “obesity may have an effect on pregnancy in the next generation. His team will study further the effects of low ghrelin levels on humans.

We are certain now that consuming folic acid while trying for a baby can improve the chances of getting pregnant, and that alcohol must be avoided throughout pregnancy, but according to the authors of “The Fertility Diet: Groundbreaking Research Reveals Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation and Improve Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant”, by doctors Jorge E Chavarro and Walter C Willet, there are several ways of improving chances of conceiving by following the appropriate diet.

The book includes ten steps to increase conceptions, addressing specifically the problem of ovulation, which according to the doctors is the most common pregnancy-related issue. They suggest, before anything, seeing a doctor to rule out any other problems you might have if you are trying unsuccessfully for a baby. The diet the book recommends works for anyone, male or female, regardless if they are looking to conceive or not, but just want to be healthier.

The ten tips are the following:

1. Cut out trans fats.
2. Eat more unsaturated fats like olive oil.
3. Get more protein from vegetables and less from meat.
4. Pick whole grains over refined carbohydrates.
5. Get a serving or two of full-fat dairy daily.
6. Take a multivitamin that includes plenty of folic acid.
7. Get iron from fruits, vegetables and beans rather than meat.
8. Cut out soft drinks and get most of your liquid refreshment from water, with coffee or tea in moderation.
9. Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight if you need to.
10. Start exercising daily if you aren’t already, or pick up the pace if you do work out, unless you’re already skinny.

The main idea of the book is to help couples that are finding hard to get pregnant by giving them a tool to increase chances of success. Of course, it has to be accompanied by professional guidance and close attention of a fertility doctor.

A new study accepted to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) has revealed that hormonal contraception can become a safe and effective form of contraception for men. This method is also reversible, and is achieved by a combination of testosterone and progestin that suppresses sperm production faster and more completely than testosterone alone.

The leader of the study, Associate Professor Peter Y. Liu of the University of Sydney, Australia, said that it can be possible to diminish sperm output to “concentrations that are comparable with reliable contraception in most, but not all men”, and added that “the rate of suppression is comparable to that achieved after a vasectomy.” Testosterone act as a contraceptive, as well as other male hormones, bye creating negative feedback in a man’s reproductive system, suppressing sperm production.

For their study, Liu and his team analyzed all published male hormonal contraceptive studies of at least three months treatments from 1990 to 2006. The analysis revealed that the combination of testosterone and progestin was more effective at suppressing sperm production than testosterone alone. “Progestin co-administered with testosterone increased both the rate and extent of suppression. It also may make long-term hormonal contraception safer by reducing the dose of testosterone needed for maintenance contraception,” said Liu.

Researchers also came to know that Caucasian men suppressed sperm output faster than non-Caucasians, but not as effectively. That was also the case with younger men with lower testosterone levels, although the differences were small. Also, the investigation team found that it is hard to predict which men will respond best to treatment to make the method consistent and reliable.

Liu said that even though the study represents a great progress in the matter, further analysis must be held that take into consideration the different types of progestins and how they react as a contraceptive method.