Studies have previously shown a strong link between smoking, obesity and longer time to pregnancy (TTP) or infertility. Recently, researchers have investigated the role diet may play on fecundity or the amount of time taken to fall pregnant.
A study at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute has revealed a link between pre-pregnancy fast food and fruit intake and the amount of time to fall pregnant.
The research institute found that higher intakes of fast food and lower intakes of fresh fruit and vegetables were both directly associated with lowered fecundity rates and infertility. Although research into pre-pregnancy diets and TTP in humans has not been a topic largely investigated, there have been factors that have been identified as having a negative effect on couples trying to conceive such as fast food intake and the increased consumption of foods high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar.
The cohort study did show that small modifications in dietary intake may have benefits for increasing fertility in couples trying to conceive.