CohortHumann = 14822026Netherlands
Periconceptional ultra-processed food consumption in women and men, fertility, and early embryonic development.
Plain-language summary
This study looked at whether eating ultra-processed food around the time of conception affects fertility and early embryo development in couples. It followed 831 women and 651 men from before conception through early pregnancy, tracking their diets and measuring fertility, embryo size, and yolk sac volume. The study found that women who ate more ultra-processed food had smaller embryos and yolk sacs early in pregnancy, while men who ate more of it had a lower chance of conceiving within a month and a higher risk of subfertility.
Key findings
- Higher maternal UPF intake linked to smaller embryo size and yolk sac volume at 7 weeks gestation.
- Higher paternal UPF intake linked to lower monthly chance of conception and higher subfertility risk.
- Associations in women weakened by 9 and 11 weeks gestation.
How to analyze the study yourself
- Study type
- Cohort studies are good at tracking associations over time but cannot prove cause and effect.
- Population
- The study included 831 women and 651 male partners from a relatively healthy population.
- Funding
- Multiple grants from Erasmus Medical Center, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, Dutch Diabetes Foundation, European Union, and others.
- Watch for
- This study found that eating more ultra-processed food around conception was linked to smaller embryos and yolk sacs in women and lower fertility in men. If you are trying to conceive, it may be worth cutting back on ultra-processed food.