Eating Fast-Food Lowers Chance Of Getting Pregnant- Study

A new study has revealed that consumption of fast food and less fruit causes delay in pregnancy.

This was disclosed in a study led by Prof Claire Roberts, Lloyd Cox Professorial Research Fellow, from the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute.

The research found women who ate the least amount of fruit to increase their risk of infertility from 8% to 12% and women who ate fast food four or more times a week to increase their risk from 8% to 16%.

“Compared to women who ate fruit three or more times a day in the month before conception, women who ate fruit less than one to three times a month took half a month longer to become pregnant.

“Similarly, compared to women who never or rarely ate fast food, women who consumed fast food four or more times a week took nearly a month longer to become pregnant,” said Prof Roberts.

To ascertain the link between food and conception between 2004 and 2011, midwives interviewed almost 5,600 women in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the U.K. who had never had a baby before.

During the first antenatal visit at around 14-16 weeks’ gestation, midwives collected information about the time it took to become pregnant and the women’s diet. This included details of their diet in the month before conception and how frequently they consumed fruit, green leafy vegetables, fish and fast foods. Fast foods included burgers, pizza, fried chicken and chips that were bought from takeaway or fast food outlets.

The results proofed women who ate fruit less than one to three times a month to have a month delay before conception compared to those who ate three or more portions of fruit a day in the month before they conceived.

Likewise, women who consumed fast food four or more times a week, unlike those who never or rarely ate fast food were seen to have a delay in conception.

The study also found that pre-pregnancy consumption of either green leafy vegetables or fish has no significant impact on the ability to conceive or get pregnant.

Meanwhile, Dr Jessica Grieger, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Adelaide, urged women who want to conceive quickly to link their dietary intake with the national recommendation for pregnancy, because data has revealed that ‘’frequent consumption of fast foods delays time to pregnancy.”