Definition

Preconception health refers to optimizing both partners' physical, nutritional, and lifestyle health before attempting conception. It includes addressing nutritional deficiencies, balancing hormones, reducing toxic exposures, managing chronic conditions, optimizing weight, improving egg and sperm quality, and creating optimal conditions for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Why It Matters

The months before conception significantly impact fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and lifelong health of offspring. Preconception optimization improves fertility, reduces miscarriage risk, prevents birth defects, supports healthy fetal development, and programs the baby's long-term metabolic and immune health through epigenetics.

Related Conditions

Infertility Support Preconception Care Pcos Hypothyroidism Endometriosis

Related Modalities

Clinical Nutrition Functional Lab Testing Lifestyle Medicine Nutraceuticals

Frequently Asked Questions

Ideally, begin 3–6 months before trying to conceive. This allows time to address nutritional deficiencies, balance hormones, improve egg and sperm quality (which takes 3–4 months to mature), establish healthy habits, and optimize both partners' health for conception and pregnancy.

Priorities include prenatal vitamins with methylfolate, optimizing vitamin D and iron, balancing blood sugar, managing stress, achieving healthy weight, eliminating alcohol and smoking, reducing toxin exposure, treating underlying conditions, and ensuring regular ovulation and healthy sperm parameters.