Struggling to Get Pregnant Fast? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you’ve been trying to conceive for months, maybe even years, and still seeing negative tests, you’re not alone.
Many women unknowingly eat foods that quietly harm their fertility, even when following a “healthy” diet.
As an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Fertility Nutrition Expert, I’ve seen how specific foods and environmental exposures can reduce egg quality, hormone balance, and implantation success.
Below, I’ll walk you through five common foods that could be holding you back, and what to eat instead to help you get pregnant fast and naturally.
1. Are Pesticides in Fruits and Vegetables Lowering Your Chances of Pregnancy?
Even the healthiest foods can have adverse effects when they contain pesticide residues. These chemicals can act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with ovulation and embryo development.
A Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study found that women who consumed the most high-pesticide fruits and vegetables had a 26% lower chance of pregnancy and a 41% lower live birth rate during IVF (Chiu et al., 2018).
More recent studies show similar findings. Pesticide exposure increases miscarriage risk by 41% and alters early embryo gene expression (Albadrani et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2024).
Top offenders, including strawberries, spinach, apples, grapes, and blueberries, are all on the Dirty Dozen list. Check the latest list here: EWG Dirty Dozen List
What to Do Instead:
- Choose organic produce for items on the Dirty Dozen List whenever possible.
- Try washing the produce with corn starch & baking powder. Research shows that soaking in 2% corn starch followed by soaking in 5% baking powder can help remove up to 94% and 91% of thiabendazole with and without the surfactant (Du et al., 2025).
2. Can Red and Processed Meats Cause Fertility Problems?
Yes — when eaten in excess, red and processed meats can trigger chronic inflammation, a key factor that damages egg quality and implantation.
A 2024 Scientific Reports study found that women who ate the most red and processed meats early in pregnancy had double the risk of gestational diabetes (Norouziasl et al., 2024). Another Spanish study found frequent red meat intake correlated with infertility due to oxidative stress (Martín-Manchado et al., 2024).
What to Do Instead:
- Limit red meat to 1–2 servings per week.
- Swap processed meats (bacon, sausages) for fish, lentils, or eggs.
- Focus on anti-inflammatory fats like olive oil, avocado, salmon, and walnuts.
Your fertility thrives when your body is calm, not inflamed.
Want to know which are the best fertility foods to support conception? Click to learn more here.
3. How Do Sugar and Ultra-Processed Foods Affect Fertility?
Refined carbohydrates and sugary foods cause blood sugar spikes that disrupt insulin and ovulation, directly impacting egg quality and embryo development.
A 2024 review found that high-sugar diets damage endometrial cells, reducing implantation success (Ekambaram & Kumar, 2024).
What to Do Instead:
- Choose low-GI carbs like oats, quinoa, and black rice.
- Always pair carbs with protein or healthy fats to stabilise blood sugar.
- Replace sugary snacks with healthier options like fruit, nuts, or Greek yoghurt.
- Keep vitamin D and myo-inositol levels optimal to support insulin sensitivity.
Balanced blood sugar equals balanced hormones, and that’s the key to conception.
4. How Much Alcohol Is Safe When Trying to Conceive?
Even light drinking can harm both egg and sperm quality.
A 2025 review linked excessive alcohol with lower IVF success rates, caused by oxidative stress and DNA damage (DeVilbiss et al., 2025).
A Danish study (Lee et al., 2024) showed that men who drank heavily before conception increased pregnancy complications by 20%.
What to Do Instead:
- Avoid alcohol when trying to conceive or during fertility treatment.
- Try alcohol-free beverages or mocktails for social occasions.
5. Does Coffee Really Increase Miscarriage Risk?
Caffeine is one of the most researched fertility topics, and the data is clear. Even moderate coffee intake can increase miscarriage risk.
A 2025 Biomedicines review found that consuming under 200 mg of caffeine daily (about 1–2 coffees) was still associated with higher miscarriage and stillbirth risk (Dube et al., 2025).
What to Do Instead:
- Keep caffeine under 100 mg/day (about one small coffee) or avoid it altogether if possible.
- Switch to decaf, fruit-infused tea, or chicory coffee.
- Avoid soft drinks and energy drinks, as they can be a hidden source of caffeine.
Bottom Line
- Start by identifying and eliminating hidden fertility saboteurs in your diet.
- Even small dietary and lifestyle changes can significantly improve your egg quality, hormone balance, and uterine environment.
- By optimising your diet and reducing fertility-disrupting chemicals, you’re giving your body the best chance to conceive.
