Male Infertility, PCOS & IVF: How to Improve Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant Naturally
Fertility struggles are often painted as a women’s issue — but the reality is that male fertility plays a role in up to 50% of cases. In this episode, I’m joined by fertility nutritionist Jen Walpole, who breaks down what’s really going on when couples struggle to conceive — from PCOS and endometriosis to sperm health, endocrine disruptors, and IVF preparation.
takeaways
Jen Walpole shared how she reversed her own PCOS-related loss of periods in her 20s through nutrition and lifestyle changes, taking around 12 months to restore her cycle and a further 6 months to regulate it.
The conversation highlighted that male factor accounts for around 30% of fertility issues, with a further 30% involving both partners, and covered sperm count, concentration, motility, morphology and DNA integrity testing.
Dietary and lifestyle discussion centred on Mediterranean diet principles, blood sugar balance, reducing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (plastics, pesticides, forever chemicals) and cutting back on alcohol and ultra-processed foods.
Ways to track ovulation were discussed, including cervical mucus changes, basal body temperature, day-21 progesterone blood tests and LH urine sticks.
The vaginal and uterine microbiome was explored, including the importance of Lactobacillus, checking vaginal pH, and how infections such as ureaplasma or BV can affect sperm.
Egg and sperm maturation take roughly three months, so preparation before trying to conceive was framed as a window to optimise diet, supplements (such as omega-3 and CoQ10) and lifestyle, including for those over 35.
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