Article By Mark Sargeant

Optimising Fertility & Supporting Natural Conception

Trying to conceive—whether starting your first family or growing an existing one—can feel emotionally and physically challenging, especially when it takes longer than expected. At our acupuncture Gold Coast clinic, we support women (and couples) through every stage of the fertility journey using a blend of Western medical understanding and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

This article outlines practical lifestyle, nutrition, and acupuncture-based strategies to support fertility, improve egg quality, regulate hormones, and reduce stress—helping to create the best possible environment for conception.

There is no set diet for conception for everyone, the advice is to listen to your body and eat what makes you feel well. My general advice is to eat with the seasons (e.g. eat vegetables and fruit that are in season), to avoid processed food, to limit sugar and aim for a diet higher in protein, good fats and vegetables. Eat like your ancestors did – unprocessed, whole foods.

Protein

Prioritise high quality proteins like eggs – complete protein, rich in choline for egg quality and foëtal brain development, Vitamin D and healthy fats.² Other examples are:

• Wild salmon and fatty fish – fatty acids reduce inflammation and support hormone balance.
• Lean poultry – high in Zinc and Iron which are key for ovulation and egg maturation.
• Red meat in moderation – high quality unprocessed cuts, slow cooked can be deeply nourishing.
• Liver (source grass fed, organic sources) – highly nutrient dense and excellent for hormone balance. If vegetarian, ensure you have sufficient protein in your diet – legumes (if tolerated), tofu along with nuts can be great sources.

Fats

Healthy fats reduce inflammation and support hormone production – avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Limit trans-fat, added sugar, processed food and excessive caffeine. Caffeine can lead to higher cortisol levels in the blood which may indirectly lower progesterone production.³ It can also affect sleep. Stick to one cup of coffee in the morning.

Weight

Maintain a healthy weight in your BMI range, being both underweight and overweight can affect your fertility.

PCOS

For women with PCOS, eating low GI foods are important to manage insulin resistance,⁴ and being careful with refined sugars and carbs.

Endometriosis

For women with endometriosis, it is important to ensure your diet is anti-inflammatory so prioritising foods with Omega 3 (e.g. fatty fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds) oils than Omega 6 (e.g. vegetable oils, processed foods, sunflower seeds and pinenuts).⁵ Limiting red meat consumption, especially processed meat like ham, can reduce inflammation.

Male health is important to consider too, as they are obviously half the equation for conception. Basic advice would be eating well, sleeping enough, minimising stress and limiting alcohol. Supplements which may help are:

• Black Maca – potentially helpful in libido and sperm concentration and motility.⁶
• Black Seed Oil (Nigella Sativa) – which has shown in a systematic review to improve all sperm parameters through its strong antioxidant effect.⁷

In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is key for digestion. The Spleen likes regular meals, and it does not like too much cold or raw food. Picture your stomach having a little cooking pot in there under a fire; too much cold food and drink puts out the fire and your digestion must work harder to digest food, depleting Qi. Warm cooked foods, especially soups and stews are optimal. Ginger can be very helpful in the diet; it is warming and assists with digestion and circulation. Eat mindfully and slowly and avoid overeating.

Strong digestion also converts food into Qi and Blood, essential for conception. Goji berries, red dates and black sesame paste are traditional Chinese Medicine foods to nourish the Blood. High fibre diets and fermented foods like kimchi and yogurt can improve gut microbiome diversity, as can eating a diverse range of plant foods.

Exercise moves Qi and Blood and helps with blood flow to the reproductive organs. It also helps with stress. Moderation with exercise is recommended, like everything in Chinese Medicine. High intensity exercise can affect hormone levels in the body and reduce body fat by too much (a certain level of body fat is essential for healthy hormone activity and for reproduction). Conversely very little exercise can be detrimental.

• Simple exercise like regular walks – increase pelvic blood flow and ovarian function.
• Pilates – helps build core muscles that support internal organs and pregnancy
• Daily Tai Chi or Qi Gong – promote smooth blood flow.
• Yin yoga – can be a great practise for gentle movement and stress relief.
• Abdominal self-massage – has lots of benefits (massage clockwise around the belly button with oil), it helps with gut health, reduces bloating and reduces constipation. It also strengthens the Spleen Qi, warms the Middle Jiao (central to reproductive organs) and reduces Dampness, which impedes conception. It also helps with the smooth passage of Qi and Blood, reducing stagnation, as well as being calming and grounding.

Sleep is obviously very important. Research shows that quality sleep (7-9 hours) regulates reproductive hormones, supports egg quality and reduces inflammation.⁸ Routine works well, sleep and wake at the same time, avoid screens before bed, and read a book instead. Eat early in the evening to avoid going to bed whilst still busy digesting, as this can lead to light, distorted sleep. Calming herbal tea can help with sleep (chamomile, sleep teas), as can a drop of lavender oil on a tissue placed inside your pillowcase. Herbal Magnesium cream can help too (sold in the clinic) – apply this to your shoulders and soles of the feet before bed.

Stress management is also crucial, and perhaps the most important thing to manage whilst trying to fall pregnant. It is important to relax, have fun, maintain hobbies and interests and keep smiling and laughing. Fertility can become a very serious topic, and sometimes, by overoptimizing and controlling everything in your life, you can lose something of your authentic self.

If you are stressed in life, and especially about falling pregnant, your body reacts by producing more stress hormones, such as cortisol, as your brain perceives this stress (internal or external) as a lack of safety. When there is a lack of safety, your body will not fall pregnant as easily.^9. Spending time in nature and guided meditations can help. Insight Timer is a site where you can find guided free meditations. (https://insighttimer.com/guided-meditations)

These suggestions can feel overwhelming, so don’t feel compelled to try and change everything at once. Small changes in your life can have big impacts for your fertility.

References

1. Gougeon A. “Aspects of Ovarian Follicle Development throughout Life.” Hormone Research in Paediatrics. 1999;52(4):161–170. doi:10.1159/000023456
2. Derbyshire EJ. Eggs and Associated Nutrients: Implications for Brain Development and Function From Conception to Early Adulthood: A Narrative Review. Nutr Bull. 2026 Jan 9. doi:10.1111/nbu.70042. PMID: 41510783.
3. Wesselink AK, et al. Caffeine and caffeinated beverage consumption and fecundability in a preconception cohort. Reproductive Toxicology. 2016;62:39–45. PMCID: PMC4907331.
4. Kazemi M, et al. Effects of Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load on Cardiometabolic and Reproductive Profiles in Women with PCOS: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Advances in Nutrition. 2021;12(2):161–178. PMCID: PMC7850057.
5. Sienko A, et al. The effect of two anti-inflammatory dietary components, omega-3 and resveratrol, on endometriosis. Ginekologia Polska. 2024;95(7). doi:10.5603/gpl.97573
6. Gonzales GF, Nieto J, Rubio J, Gasco M. Effect of Black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on one spermatogenic cycle in rats. Andrologia. 2006 Oct;38(5):166-72. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0272.2006.00733.x. PMID: 16961569.
7. Ahmad A, Husain A, Mujeeb M, et al. A review on therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa: A miracle herb. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2013 May;3(5):337-52. doi:10.1016/S2221-1691(13)60075-1. PMID: 23646296; PMCID: PMC3642442.
8. Coborn JE, et al. Impact of sleep patterns upon female neuroendocrinology and reproductive outcomes: a comprehensive review. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. 2022;20(1):16. doi:10.1186/s12958-022-00889-3
9. Rooney KL, Domar AD. The relationship between stress and infertility. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018 Mar;20(1):41-47. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/klrooney. PMID: 29946210; PMCID: PMC6016043.