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Related Concept Videos

Fertilization01:38

Fertilization

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During fertilization, an egg and sperm cell fuse to create a new diploid structure. In humans, the process occurs once the egg has been released from the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tubes. The process requires several key steps: 1) sperm present in the genital tract must locate the egg; 2) once there, sperm need to release enzymes to help them burrow through the protective zona pellucida of the egg; and 3) the membranes of a single sperm cell and egg must fuse, with the sperm...
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Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and fecundability.

J Stanhiser1,2,3, A M Z Jukic4, D R McConnaughey5

  • 1Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|February 11, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements were associated with a higher probability of natural conception in women trying to conceive. This finding suggests omega-3s may be a beneficial factor for improving fertility.

Keywords:
fecundabilitynatural fertilityomega-3 fatty acidspolyunsaturated fatty acidssupplementation

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Nutritional Science
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Omega-3 fatty acid intake is linked to improved pregnancy rates in infertile women undergoing IVF.
  • Studies on omega-3 supplementation and natural fertility are conflicting, with limited research on fecundability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between omega-3 fatty acid supplement use and fecundability in women attempting natural conception.
  • To determine if omega-3 supplementation increases the probability of conceiving in a given menstrual cycle.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary data analysis of the prospective Time to Conceive (TTC) cohort study (2008-2015).
  • Included 900 women aged 30-44 years trying to conceive naturally, contributing 2510 cycles.
  • Used a discrete-time Cox proportional hazards model to assess fecundability ratio based on omega-3 use (≥20% of days per cycle).

Main Results:

  • Women using omega-3 supplements had a 1.51 times higher probability of conceiving (95% CI 1.12, 2.04) after adjusting for covariates.
  • Omega-3 users were more likely to be younger, thinner, nulligravid, white, and use other supplements like vitamin D and multivitamins.

Conclusions:

  • Omega-3 supplementation may be a feasible, inexpensive factor to enhance natural fertility.
  • Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm the benefits of omega-3s for women trying to conceive.