Merrion Fertility - Nutrition and Fertility Programme

Merrion Fertility and The Food Clinic have designed this programme to help couples to reach their optimum weight and strengthen their metabolism.  The programme helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing for couples that are preparing to embark upon fertility treatment. 

Merrion Fertility Clinic understands that a healthy weight and a balanced nutritional diet are important requirements when considering a patients safety and wellbeing while undergoing fertility treatment while also maximising a couples chances of success with that fertility treatment cycle.   We also understand that this can be very stressful for couples.   We have therefore implemented the ‘The Food Clinic’ programme in association with our Nutrition Councillor Louise Smyth.  The programme is designed to help couples who are about to embark upon fertility treatment with the assistance required in achieving a healthy body mass index (BMI) and wellbeing. 

The programme sets out and supervises a short weight management programme which helps you to achieve your target weight agreed by the clinician and the patient.

In order to facilitate couples financially, the cost of the programme will be offset by Merrion Fertility Clinic against the first cycle of IVF/ICSI on patient achieving their agreed target weight.

For more information on our Food Clinic Programme, please contact Louise Smyth, DIP NT mNTOI, Nutrition Counselor on,

Mobile +353 876 876 599, Email Elulu@thefoodclinic.ie, Website www.thefoodclinic.ie 

Nutrition and what it means for fertility

Continuing medical research has shown evidence that the role of nutritional management for male and females undergoing fertility treatment is of growing importance. 

Today, many people suffer with obesity which leads to ailments and illness due to poor diet.  By choosing the wrong foods for our body and deficiencies in essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, folic acid and vitamins C and E, it is becoming more difficult to maintain optimal hormonal and metabolic balance.

Nutrition and the female

The role of nutrition and health in female infertility suggests evidence that nutritional therapy can aid in the management of fertility and associated conditions such as endometriosis.   In addition to chromosomal abnormalities, nutritional deficiency can play a role in spontaneous miscarriage and complications in pregnancy.

Nutrition and the male

There is evidence to suggest that male factor infertility is on the increase due to a decline in the quality of semen in males worldwide. Changes in lifestyle and environmental factors play a significant role in the poor quality of semen, however further studies into the effects of nutrition on males has suggested that nutritional deficiencies may be an important neglected cause of reproductive problems or impairments in males

The relationship between good nutrition and reproduction is well established.  Research into the metabolic management of vitamins and minerals in the male has seen an improvement in sperm motility and morphology.  It is also known that increased intake of specific nutrients, such as folate or iodine, by medication or food fortification can have important health benefits.