A Fertility Nutritionist's Guide to Preconception Preparation

Written by moode Journal, with Kelly Suggate, Fertility Nutritionist at Kelly Suggate Nutritionist | Reviewed June 2026

Falling pregnant, and keeping your health (and sanity) intact throughout a pregnancy, is already a mammoth task. But who knew preconception planning was a whole thing too? It is, and it matters. Health professionals recommend preparing your body for pregnancy at least three months before you start trying, to give yourself the best possible shot.

Fertility nutritionist Kelly Suggate shares her top tips for preconception preparation, so that when it's time to try, your body is ready.

What is preconception preparation?

Good preconception care is increasingly recognised, by women and health professionals alike, as playing a critical role in shaping the long-term health and wellbeing of our future children.

The evidence is genuinely compelling. A landmark Harvard study of more than 17,000 women found that combining five or more diet and lifestyle changes, things like managing weight, staying active and adjusting what you eat, was associated with a 69% lower risk of infertility caused by ovulation disorders. In other words, the everyday choices you make in the lead-up really can move the needle.

How can you prepare your body for pregnancy?

Kelly's preconception checklist looks like this:

Start early, and bring your partner along.

Begin preparing your body four to six months out from conception. It takes two to tango, so your partner isn't off the hook here. Starting early builds up stores of key nutrients ahead of the first trimester (when around 70% of women experience some morning sickness and may not be eating their ideal diet) and helps reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy.

Aim for a healthy weight range.

This is one of the first things Kelly recommends. Research suggests a BMI between 20 and 30 is supportive of conception.

Move regularly.

At least 30 minutes a day.

Cut back on refined sugar and trans fats.

Found largely in processed and takeaway foods, these can work against both general health and fertility.

See your GP for a preconception blood test.

It's worth checking nutrient levels that take time to correct (like iron and vitamin D), assessing thyroid function, and screening for infections that can affect pregnancy, such as chlamydia.

Which foods should you eat during preconception?

Eat lots of seaweed (and dairy) for iodine.

Seaweed, plus dairy like cottage cheese, yoghurt and milk, is rich in iodine. Your body needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones, which are essential in preconception and pregnancy. Australia introduced mandatory iodine fortification of bread and salt in 2009 in response to a re-emergence of deficiency. Choosing a prenatal with at least 150mcg of iodine helps ensure you're covered.

Eat your eggs for choline.

Most people fall short of their choline needs, yet it plays a role very similar to folate in supporting healthy neural tube development. It's not always included in supplements, but eggs are one of the best dietary sources, with two eggs providing around half your daily requirement.

Eat iron-rich foods.

Sardines, beef, lamb and chicken for the meat eaters; lentils, quinoa, asparagus and spinach for the vegetarians. Iron requirements don't climb until the second and third trimester, but it's common to enter pregnancy with low stores. Iron carries oxygen around your body and to your baby, so it's central to your everyday energy. Where you can, pair iron-rich foods with vitamin C to boost absorption, and when taking iron supplements, avoid high-calcium foods and caffeine for an hour or two either side, as they interfere with absorption.

Get some sun for vitamin D. 

Vitamin D matters at every stage of pregnancy, and it's another one many women run low on. Most of ours comes from sunlight on skin, with smaller amounts from foods like salmon, sardines and snapper. It supports calcium regulation (and therefore bone health) and immune function. Even in a sunny climate, levels can dip in winter or for those who work indoors, so it's worth getting yours checked across each trimester and into the postpartum period. Research has found exclusively breastfed infants are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, so supplementation is sometimes needed.

Do you need a prenatal supplement during preconception?

In Kelly's view, a prenatal should be part of every woman's preconception and pregnancy plan, to ensure that, whatever your food intake looks like on a given day, you're meeting the baseline requirements of the nutrients known to matter most for your baby's development.

The best known is folate, for its role in supporting closure of the neural tube in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, helping protect against neural tube defects like spina bifida. Look for a supplement with at least 500mcg of folate, ideally in an active, well-absorbed form like calcium folinate.

The challenge is that there are so many products out there, and navigating them is hard. There's also no one-size-fits-all: every woman has her own health history, blood work and diet, so it's worth working with a nutrition professional to choose the right combination for you and your baby.

moode answers your questions about preconception nutrition

When should I start preparing my body for pregnancy?

Most health professionals recommend starting at least three months before trying to conceive, and ideally four to six. This window gives your body time to build up stores of key nutrients (like iron and folate), correct any deficiencies that are slow to shift, and establish habits that support fertility.

What nutrients are most important before conception?

Folate (ideally as an active form like calcium folinate), iodine, choline, iron and vitamin D are among the most important. Folate supports neural tube development, iodine supports thyroid function, choline supports development, and iron and vitamin D are commonly low in women entering pregnancy.

Does diet really affect fertility?

Yes. A major Harvard study found that combining five or more diet and lifestyle changes was associated with a 69% lower risk of ovulatory-disorder infertility. Diet isn't a guarantee, and it can't override every cause of infertility, but it's a meaningful and controllable factor.

Should my partner do preconception prep too?

Absolutely. Sperm takes around three months to develop, so the same three-to-six-month window applies. Diet, weight, alcohol, smoking and general health all influence sperm quality, making preconception prep very much a two-person project.

Do I still need a prenatal if I eat well?

Generally yes. Even a great diet can fall short of the higher demands of pregnancy, especially for folate, iodine and choline, and early-pregnancy nausea can derail healthy eating right when it matters. A prenatal acts as an insurance policy for the gaps.

About Kelly Suggate

Kelly Suggate is a Fertility Nutritionist and the founder of Kelly Suggate Nutritionist specialising in preconception, pregnancy and postpartum nutrition. Visit her website for more from Kelly.

A note from moode

A quality prenatal is one of the simplest ways to support your body through the preconception window. The Prenatal by moode is formulated for preconception and pregnancy, with calcium folinate, choline, iodine, zinc and a full B complex, in an iron-free, copper-free formulation. Always read the label and follow directions for use.