Can a calcium supplement aid pregnancy and fertility?

According to blogger, Fertility after Forty, a woman who is looking to become pregnant positively needs calcium in her diet for a higher success rate.

According to the blogger, “Calcium helps to alkalise the body, which is favorable to the sperm and fertilised egg.”

This is backed up by a study carried out to monitor calcium’s role in conception. This study focused on the crucial moment where the sperm stops their swimming motion of a soft side to side movement and adopts a whip-cracking snap that gives them enough momentum to propel themselves in to the egg.

One of the many things that triggers this motion is the alkaline environment of the reproductive tract. Calcium and other minerals are key to creating this alkaline environment. The study showed that the nutrient sperm soak up to create the thrusting action is, in fact, calcium.

This fascinating study showed how this nutrient plays a role right at the very beginnings of life.

Aside from conception, calcium is vital for the follicular production and general reproductive organ growth in utero – and of course later on, outside of the womb.

More calcium is needed to then help the baby grow strong bones, teeth, nerves and muscles.

The foetus acts almost like a sponge to the calcium in the woman’s body, as the blog explains:

“During pregnancy, your foetus’s developing bones and your fluctuating hormones draw on your body’s calcium, so the total level of calcium in your blood drops.”

It is then recommended that pregnant mothers carry on with their calcium supplements to make up for the nutrients that are being absorbed by the growing baby.

It is commonly thought that most people already do not hit their daily quota of calcium, so women in pregnancy should be wary of keeping their calcium and other nutrient levels topped up.

There are limits though, too much calcium isn’t much good for the body. Keep below 2,500mg to avoid constipation, your risk of kidney stones. An excess of calcium can also hinder your body’s absorption of iron and zinc.