What Fertility Patients Aren’t Told About Nutrition During IVF

When you’re in the midst of IVF, it can feel like your whole world shrinks down to needles, clinic visits, blood tests, and that endless waiting. What often gets overlooked in this process, however, is nutrition—not just the basics of eating “healthy,” but the deeper, evidence-based role diet plays in supporting ovarian health, egg quality, and embryo development during stimulation cycles.

Here’s the part not many patients hear: IVF medications and repeated ovarian stimulation cycles can increase oxidative stress in the ovaries. Studies show that this oxidative stress can accelerate ovarian ageing, reduce ovarian reserve, and impair mitochondrial function—the very powerhouses your eggs rely on for healthy development ⁽¹⁾. 

This isn’t meant to add pressure, but rather to highlight something positive: nutrition and
antioxidants can make a real difference. The food, supplements and lifestyle decisions you are making whilst trying to conceive and during IVF can make a remarkable impact on yours and your baby’s future health ⁽⁴⁾.

IVF and Oxidative Stress

What are ROS?
During IVF, stimulation medications are used to encourage the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. While this is essential for treatment, the process also increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In small amounts, ROS are a normal by-product of cell metabolism, but in excess, they can damage DNA, proteins, and even mitochondria inside your cells.

Why age and conditions matter
Repeat cycles mean repeated stress. This can gradually impact ovarian health if not balanced with strategies to buffer oxidative stress. This is especially important if you are over 35 years of age, or if you have conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, or premature ovarian insufficiency—all of which are linked to higher baseline oxidative stress. For these groups, nutritional antioxidant support becomes even more crucial.

The role of pre-IVF preparation
What often gets overlooked is that your antioxidant status before starting IVF matters just as much as during the cycle. If your body’s natural defences are depleted, your ovaries have less resilience against the oxidative surge that comes with stimulation. Entering IVF with strong antioxidant reserves can act like a buffer, protecting egg quality and improving resilience and we know that prevention is nearly always better than cure.

The Role of Antioxidants in Fertility

Antioxidants have a “clean-up” like effect in the body—neutralising and mopping up excess ROS before they cause harm.

A growing body of research suggests that antioxidant support during IVF can ⁽²,⁶⁾:

• Protect egg and sperm DNA from oxidative damage
• Support mitochondrial function (critical for egg quality)
• Improve fertilisation rates and embryo quality
• Potentially reduce cycle failure and pregnancy loss

A Mediterranean-style, “pro-fertility” diet—rich in colourful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, dairy, soy foods, and key micronutrients like folate, B12, and vitamin D—has been consistently linked to higher IVF success rates ⁽³⁾. 

This is why nutrition during the pre-IVF months isn’t only about topping up vitamins and
minerals. It’s about actively building resilience: strengthening mitochondrial function,
replenishing antioxidants like glutathione, and ensuring your ovaries are better prepared to face the stress of stimulation when it arrives.

Beyond IVF: How Egg and Sperm Quality Shape Future Generations

One of the most powerful, but less-discussed truths in reproductive science is that the health of the egg and sperm doesn’t just influence your ability to conceive — it can affect the health of your child, and even future generations.

Why? Because eggs and sperm carry not only DNA, but also the epigenetic “marks” that switch genes on or off. These marks can be influenced by oxidative stress, poor diet, smoking, alcohol, environmental toxins, and lifestyle behaviours. For example, higher oxidative stress has been linked to DNA fragmentation in sperm and chromosomal errors in eggs. These changes may not always prevent fertilisation, but they can increase the risk of miscarriage, pregnancy complications, and even long-term health issues for the child ⁽⁶,⁵⁾. 

Emerging research shows that epigenetic changes can be passed down, meaning that the quality of egg and sperm today has the potential to influence not only your baby’s health, but also your grandchildren’s ⁽⁷⁾. This is why IVF stimulation cycles — which temporarily increase oxidative stress — combined with modern lifestyle and environmental exposures, make antioxidant and lifestyle support so important.

Think of this phase as a chance for a whole-life “clean up.” Nutrition, exercise, reducing toxin exposures, supporting sleep, and stress management all work together to lower oxidative stress. The benefits extend far beyond IVF success rates — they create ripple effects for your family’s health for generations to come.

Who Needs to Pay Extra Attention?

While everyone can benefit from an antioxidant-rich approach, certain groups may require further support:

• Women over 35: Eggs are naturally more vulnerable to oxidative damage as we age.
• Women with conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, or low ovarian reserve:
  These conditions are associated with higher baseline oxidative stress.
• Males: Sperm DNA and motility are also impacted by oxidative stress, and antioxidant support has been shown to improve sperm parameters.
  
  

Antioxidant & Polyphenol–Rich Foods to Add During IVF
Really boosting your weekly intake of these ingredients and having fun with how you use them can be an empowering way to support your health during IVF. Think beyond sprinkling herbs or grabbing a handful of nuts; try experimenting with new recipes like turmeric-spiced soups, pomegranate salads, cacao smoothies, matcha lattes or legume-rich stews.

Herbs & Spices

• Turmeric & Black Pepper: Curcumin reduces inflammation and ROS; pepper enhances absorption.
• Ginger: Gingerols reduce oxidative stress and support digestion.
• Fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme): High in polyphenols; use generously in cooking.

Nuts & Seeds

•  Walnuts & Pecans: Highest polyphenol content among nuts; also provide healthy fats
• Portion: About 1⁄4 cup daily.
  
  

Plant Superfoods

• Green Tea (EGCG): Powerful polyphenol for ovarian and endometrial health (1–2 cups daily)
• Dark Chocolate & Cacao: Flavonoids that support vascular and mitochondrial health (20–30 g of 85%+ chocolate, or 1 tbsp raw cacao).
• Pomegranate: Protects against DNA damage (1⁄2 cup seeds or 100 ml juice a few times per week).
• Red/Purple Grapes: Source of resveratrol, supports mitochondria (1⁄2 cup a few times weekly).
• Legumes (black beans, kidney beans): Surprisingly high antioxidant content plus protein and fibre (1⁄2 cup, 3–4 times weekly).

Healthy Oils

•  Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Rich in hydroxytyrosol, a powerful anti-inflammatory polyphenol(1–3 tbsp daily as salad dressing or drizzle).

While we can’t change the fact that IVF stimulation medications increase oxidative stress, we can strengthen the body’s defences against it. With each round of IVF, small daily choices—like sipping green tea, adding turmeric to your meals, or tossing pomegranate seeds into your salad—become protective acts that help buffer your ovaries and sperm from additional stress.

Most importantly, you’re not powerless in this process. By fuelling your body with
antioxidant-rich foods, smart supplementation, and lifestyle habits, you’re not only supporting your IVF outcome—you’re laying down foundations for long-term reproductive health and for the health of future generations.