Fertility doesn't start when you start trying
A landmark new research report reveals why fertility preparation starts earlier than you think - and how nutrition, lifestyle and environment influence reproductive health.
Fertility isn’t a switch that turns on when the moment trying for a baby feels ‘right’. The process is underway years earlier, and shaped by many factors. Yet people often wait to make lifestyle changes until they start actively trying – in our landmark new report we explore why.
When we asked 1,000 respondents to take part in our fertility survey, their responses told us much about fertility today, from the structural barriers that exist, to the gaps in our own education.
We found that 44%* of people only improved their diet once they had already started trying for a baby, while 32% reduced alcohol intake at that point. However, by then, the body has already been responding to its environment for years – lifestyle, stress, sleep, nutrition, exercise, blood sugar balance and hormone disruption being just a few factors at play – and it’s sadly not as simple as switching fertility ‘on’.
This delayed engagement with our own fertility is reflected in knowledge gaps, too. Among Gen Z respondents, 10% said they “know nothing” about fertility, highlighting how understanding often begins only when there is a sense of urgency, rather than as part of everyday health. It also showed that the subsequent psychological toll of fertility struggles can then be considerable, with 38% reporting a negative impact on mental health, rising to 99%** among those who go on to fertility treatment.
“People often assume fertility begins the moment they decide to try for a baby. In reality, egg and sperm health are shaped months and years earlier. By the time someone starts thinking about fertility, their body has already been responding to its environment for a long time.”
Gail Madalena, Fertility Nutritional Therapist
The relationship between nutrition, lifestyle and fertility
The environment we live in is also playing its part, with emerging research suggesting that everyday exposures may influence fertility in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.
One recent UK study detected microplastics in 14 out of 18 samples of human follicular fluid, the fluid that surrounds eggs in the ovaries. While it’s not possible to eliminate exposure entirely, how these particles may affect the endocrine system is also under increasing scrutiny.
The modern diet is another area under the spotlight when it comes to fertility. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) now account for around 60% of the average adult diet in the UK***, and high consumption has been linked to increased oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, both of which are increasingly associated with reproductive health. When these systems are out of balance, the effects can ripple across the entire fertility process, from ovulation and egg quality to implantation and hormone signalling.
“We don’t get told how our cycles and hormones affect us. We don’t get told how to care for our own bodies. And we certainly don’t get told what we need to do in preparation for having a baby to help make sure we have the best chance.”
Nia
The earlier we start talking about it, the better
Part of the challenge lies in how fertility is taught to young people and in schools. In the UK, sex education has historically focused on preventing pregnancy rather than preparing for it. Fertility is framed as a risk to manage, not a system to understand and support.
As a result, many people reach adulthood, and often the point of trying for a baby, without an understanding of the basics. The menstrual cycle, for example, is rarely positioned as a vital sign of health. Instead, it is often seen as something to manage, suppress or fix. Symptoms such as pain, heavy bleeding or irregular cycles are frequently normalised, leaving many unsure what is typical and what might need further attention.
Our survey findings reflect this gap. While most respondents felt confident about period cycles and ovulation tracking, knowledge dropped significantly when it came to egg health, with only one in five saying they knew “a lot” about it, while 60% were unaware of the fertility testing options available.
“We are often encouraged to ignore the signals of our cycle – to take a pill, carry on and not make a fuss. But the menstrual cycle is one of the clearest windows into reproductive health. Understanding what ‘normal’ looks like gives people agency to make informed decisions.”
Henrietta Norton, Founder of Wild Nutrition
These findings mirror wider UK research. One recent study found that 41%**** of people didn’t know their fertile window, while 16.7% didn’t know the length of their menstrual cycle. This is not specialist knowledge, but basic body literacy that many of us are simply not being taught.
Importantly, fertility education often assumes heterosexual, cisgender relationships and linear paths to parenthood. This leaves LGBTQIA+ people navigating fertility with less guidance, despite often facing additional medical, legal and financial barriers on their path to parenthood.
Even where information is available, fertility can still feel difficult to talk about for many. In fact, one in five Gen Z respondents said they feel uncomfortable discussing fertility even with their partner, a statistic that highlights the importance of normalising conversations around fertility.
Starting these conversations earlier, improving access to clear and inclusive education, and recognising the role of lifestyle and environment could help more people feel informed and supported long before fertility becomes a concern.
There’s much more to uncover in The Fertility Disconnect report. To find out more about the modern fertility journey, including more about nutrition, diet and lifestyle factors, click here.
*Wild Nutrition (2026), The Fertility Disconnect: study data
**Fertility in the Workplace Research - Fertility Matters at Work (2025) Fertility Matters at Work. Available at: https://fertilitymattersatwork.com/fertility-research/
***Food Active, Health Equalities Group Position Statement: Ultra-processed foods
****Wainwright, E. et al. (2025) 'Fertility awareness in 97,414 women trying to conceive: gaps, misconceptions, and implications for reproductive education,' Reproductive Health, 22(1), p. 152.
