You do not need a dramatic food overhaul to wonder about fertility. Sometimes it is the ordinary stuff that matters most. The grab-and-go breakfast. The packaged snack after lunch. The frozen dinner when the day has already run too long. That pattern, repeated often enough, is where the conversation around ultra-processed foods and fertility starts to feel less abstract and a lot more real.
What are ultra-processed foods, really?
Ultra-processed foods are not just “processed” in the casual sense. They are industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted from foods, or built from them, then mixed with additives, flavourings, and other ingredients that make them cheap, durable, and easy to eat fast. Think packaged sweets, sugary drinks, instant noodles, many ready meals, processed meats, and a lot of snack foods that barely resemble the original ingredients they came from. That broad category is usually described through the NOVA classification system.
Now, that does not automatically mean every packaged food is harmful. On second thought, it would be too simple if that were true. But the more a diet leans toward ultra-processed foods, the more likely it is to crowd out foods that actually support reproductive health, and that is where the concern begins.
Do ultra-processed foods affect fertility?
The short answer is that they may. The stronger answer is that emerging research keeps pointing in that direction, even though the evidence is still developing and much of it is observational. A very recent study looking at both partners found sex-specific links between higher ultra-processed food intake and fertility-related outcomes, including lower fecundability in men and reduced embryonic growth in women. A 2025 study in women of reproductive age also reported an association between higher ultra-processed food intake and female infertility.
That is not the same as proof. Important difference. These studies do not say a packet of chips causes infertility. They suggest that long-term eating patterns may shape the hormonal and metabolic environment in ways that matter when someone is trying to conceive.
The diet and fertility connection is not just about one nutrient
People often look for one magic food or one villain ingredient. Fertility does not really work like that. The diet and fertility connection is broader than a single vitamin, a single supplement, or a single meal. Reviews of fertility nutrition have repeatedly found that healthier overall eating patterns, especially those built around fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood, legumes, and poultry, are linked with better fertility outcomes and better semen quality.
That does not mean there is one official fertility diet that works for everyone. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says there is insufficient evidence that any specific diet or macronutrient pattern can reliably improve natural fertility. Still, the same guidance makes clear that healthy preconception habits, including folic acid, matter. So the honest position is somewhere in the middle. Not miracle food. Not total helplessness either.
Why is male fertility part of this story, too
This conversation often gets framed as a woman’s issue. It is not. The processed food’s impact on sperm quality is now a serious part of the research picture. A 2024 study found that higher ultra-processed food consumption was inversely associated with total sperm count, sperm concentration, and total motility in men of reproductive age. Another 2024 paper reported the same basic pattern, with lower sperm concentration and progressive motility in men who ate more ultra-processed foods.
A controlled trial published in 2025 went even further. Men eating an ultra-processed diet showed worse sperm quality and lower levels of reproductive hormones, even when calories were matched. That matters because it suggests the issue may not be just overeating. It may be the structure of the diet itself, the way the food is built, and what that does inside the body.
What might be happening inside the body?
There are a few likely pathways, and they probably overlap. Ultra-processed diets are often high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats. They can also be low in fibre, antioxidants, and key micronutrients. Over time, this can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress, all of which can influence reproductive function. Obesity itself is known to affect ovulatory function, menstrual regularity, natural fertility, and pregnancy outcomes.
There is also the simpler problem of what gets displaced. When a person eats more ultra-processed food, they often eat less of the stuff fertility diets usually benefit from, things like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts, and other nutrient-dense foods. That means less folate, less zinc, less omega-3, less iron, less vitamin D, and fewer antioxidants. Not glamorous. Very real.
Female fertility, ovulation, and everyday eating patterns
For women, the concern is not only conception itself but the chain of events around it. Ovulation, hormone balance, endometrial health, and early embryonic development all matter. Recent research has found associations between higher ultra-processed food intake and female infertility, and a 2026 study reported links between parental UPF intake and early embryonic development outcomes. The strongest takeaway here is cautious, not dramatic. The pattern is concerning, but science is still building the full picture.
Mayo Clinic links UPF to PCOS/ovulatory dysfunction
Women with PCOS may have even more reason to pay attention to diet quality, since PCOS is closely tied to metabolic risk, ovulatory issues, and fertility challenges. ASRM guidance on PCOS stresses healthy lifestyle habits, prevention of excess weight gain, and optimization of fertility and preconception risk factors. That does not mean food is the whole story. It just means food is not a side note either.
What to avoid when trying to conceive
The phrase what to avoid when trying to conceive sounds blunt, but it is a fair question. The research does not call for panic. It does suggest that a heavy, daily reliance on ultra-processed foods is not the best place to start when someone wants to support fertility.
A more useful way to think about fertility lifestyle factors is this: build the base around real meals, then reduce the foods that keep showing up in wrappers, cartons, and drive-through bags. NHS guidance for people trying to get pregnant emphasizes a healthy diet, folic acid, and avoiding alcohol. Fertility clinic guidance also tends to point people toward fresh fruits, vegetables, and minimal processed foods. That is the pattern. Simple, not flashy.
Fertility diet tips that actually make sense
The best fertility diet tips are usually boring in the best possible way. Cook a little more often. Add fibre. Stop letting sugary drinks do the work of a meal. Keep protein steady. Use whole foods as the default, not the exception. It is not about chasing perfection or eating like a saint. It is about making the body’s job a little easier.
That is also why the idea of improving fertility naturally is not really a miracle concept at all. It is mostly an everyday habit concept. A diet closer to a Mediterranean-style pattern, or at least a balanced pattern built around whole foods, has been associated with better fertility markers in several reviews. Again, not certainty. But enough signal to take seriously.
So, can ultra-processed food reduce the chances of getting pregnant?
It may, especially when it becomes the dominant diet pattern over time. That is the cleanest way to say it without overstating the science. The question of whether ultra-processed food can reduce chances of getting pregnant does not have a one-line yes or no, but the current evidence suggests the risk is plausible, particularly when ultra-processed eating is paired with poor overall diet quality, weight gain, or metabolic disruption.
And that is probably the practical message here. Not fear. Not guilt. Just a clearer understanding that fertility is shaped by a lot of ordinary choices, repeated over and over. A lunch here. A snack there. A month that becomes a year. Sometimes the body keeps score in ways we notice only later.
FAQ
Can ultra-processed food reduce the chances of getting pregnant?
It may lower fertility odds over time, especially when it replaces balanced meals and whole foods regularly.
Do ultra-processed foods affect fertility in both men and women?
Yes, current studies suggest possible effects in both sexes, though the evidence is still emerging.
How does diet affect ovulation and sperm health?
Poor diet can influence hormones, inflammation, and body weight, all of which may affect reproductive function.
What are the biggest foods that reduce fertility?
Highly processed snacks, sugary drinks, processed meats, and frequent ready meals are the main concerns.
Is there a male fertility diet that works best?
No single diet fits everyone, but whole foods and healthier patterns are linked with better semen quality.
What should couples change first when trying to conceive?
Start with more whole foods, less ultra-processed food, and consistent folic acid and healthy lifestyle habits.
Can fertility improve naturally with better food choices?
It can sometimes improve, especially when diet quality, weight, sleep, and stress all move in a better direction.
