News | Ultra-processed foods affect fertility in both men and women and may also affect embryo development
A new study released by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology found that high daily intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated not only with lower male fertility but may also affect early embryo development. The study was published in the reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.
The team said reducing UPF intake, particularly while trying to conceive and during early pregnancy, may benefit both parents and embryo health.
Maternal health has long been considered central to pregnancy outcomes, but the combined effects of both parents’ diets on time to pregnancy and early embryo development have rarely been studied systematically. This study is the first to address that gap.
Led by Dr. Romy Gaillard, a pediatrician and associate professor of developmental epidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the study used the prospective “Generation R Study Next Programme” cohort. It analyzed 831 women and 651 male partners from preconception through pregnancy between 2017—2021.
Researchers assessed parental diets through questionnaires in early pregnancy, at about 12 weeks, categorized foods as UPFs or non-UPFs, and quantified them as a percentage of total daily intake by weight. Median UPF intake was 22% for women and 25% for men.
They also collected key measures including time to pregnancy, monthly fecundability, and infertility risk, defined as time to pregnancy ≥12 months or use of assisted reproductive technology. Transvaginal ultrasound at 7, 9, and 11 weeks measured embryonic crown-rump length (CRL) and yolk sac volume to assess early development.
First author and doctoral student Celine Lin said women’s UPF intake was not consistently associated with time to pregnancy or infertility risk, but embryos and yolk sacs were slightly smaller at 7 weeks. Although modest, the population-level difference is relevant to research and suggests UPFs may affect not only maternal health but also offspring development.
Results were clearer in men: higher UPF intake was associated with greater infertility risk and longer time to pregnancy, but not directly with early embryo development measures. The team suggested that sperm may be more sensitive to diet, while women’s UPF intake may alter the uterine environment and affect embryos immediately after fertilization.
“Our study suggests that a low-UPF diet benefits both partners, potentially improving not only the chance of conception but also the health of the unborn child,” Dr. Gaillard said.
Previous studies have linked slower embryonic growth in early pregnancy with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth (<37 weeks), low birth weight, and greater cardiovascular risk in childhood. Abnormal yolk sac development has been associated with higher risks of miscarriage and preterm birth.
The team emphasized that this observational study identifies associations but cannot prove causation. Findings must be confirmed in other populations, and potential mechanisms require further study, including low nutrient density in UPFs and exposure to food additives or microplastics.
The study also calls for a shift in focus: reproductive health should not center only on women. Men’s health and lifestyle during preconception are also important and have long been overlooked.
“We need to redefine our approach to fertility and early pregnancy care, moving from a mother-centered model to a comprehensive health framework involving both parents,” Dr. Gaillard said.
News | Ultra-processed foods affect fertility in both men and women and may also affect embryo development
News | Ultra-processed foods affect fertility in both men and women and may also affect embryo development
A new study released by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology found that high daily intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated not only with lower male fertility but may also affect early embryo development. The study was published in the reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.
The team said reducing UPF intake, particularly while trying to conceive and during early pregnancy, may benefit both parents and embryo health.
Maternal health has long been considered central to pregnancy outcomes, but the combined effects of both parents’ diets on time to pregnancy and early embryo development have rarely been studied systematically. This study is the first to address that gap.
Led by Dr. Romy Gaillard, a pediatrician and associate professor of developmental epidemiology at Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, the study used the prospective “Generation R Study Next Programme” cohort. It analyzed 831 women and 651 male partners from preconception through pregnancy between 2017—2021.
Researchers assessed parental diets through questionnaires in early pregnancy, at about 12 weeks, categorized foods as UPFs or non-UPFs, and quantified them as a percentage of total daily intake by weight. Median UPF intake was 22% for women and 25% for men.
They also collected key measures including time to pregnancy, monthly fecundability, and infertility risk, defined as time to pregnancy ≥12 months or use of assisted reproductive technology. Transvaginal ultrasound at 7, 9, and 11 weeks measured embryonic crown-rump length (CRL) and yolk sac volume to assess early development.
First author and doctoral student Celine Lin said women’s UPF intake was not consistently associated with time to pregnancy or infertility risk, but embryos and yolk sacs were slightly smaller at 7 weeks. Although modest, the population-level difference is relevant to research and suggests UPFs may affect not only maternal health but also offspring development.
Results were clearer in men: higher UPF intake was associated with greater infertility risk and longer time to pregnancy, but not directly with early embryo development measures. The team suggested that sperm may be more sensitive to diet, while women’s UPF intake may alter the uterine environment and affect embryos immediately after fertilization.
“Our study suggests that a low-UPF diet benefits both partners, potentially improving not only the chance of conception but also the health of the unborn child,” Dr. Gaillard said.
Previous studies have linked slower embryonic growth in early pregnancy with adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth (<37 weeks), low birth weight, and greater cardiovascular risk in childhood. Abnormal yolk sac development has been associated with higher risks of miscarriage and preterm birth.
The team emphasized that this observational study identifies associations but cannot prove causation. Findings must be confirmed in other populations, and potential mechanisms require further study, including low nutrient density in UPFs and exposure to food additives or microplastics.
The study also calls for a shift in focus: reproductive health should not center only on women. Men’s health and lifestyle during preconception are also important and have long been overlooked.
“We need to redefine our approach to fertility and early pregnancy care, moving from a mother-centered model to a comprehensive health framework involving both parents,” Dr. Gaillard said.
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