The most important thing you can start taking right now is 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, ideally at least one month before you conceive. Beyond that, several supplements, prescription medications, and even everyday products can meaningfully improve your chances of getting pregnant, depending on what’s standing in your way.
Folic Acid: The Non-Negotiable Starting Point
Folic acid doesn’t boost fertility directly, but it’s the single most important supplement for anyone trying to conceive. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 400 mcg daily to prevent neural tube defects in early pregnancy, and most prenatal vitamins include this amount. Start at least one month before you begin trying. If you’ve had a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, the recommended dose jumps to 4,000 mcg daily, which requires a prescription-strength supplement.
A standard prenatal vitamin covers folic acid along with iron, calcium, and other nutrients that support early fetal development. Taking one before conception means your body already has adequate stores during the first weeks of pregnancy, often before you even know you’re pregnant.
Supplements That Support Egg Quality
CoQ10 is one of the more well-studied supplements for female fertility. It plays a role in cellular energy production, which matters because eggs are among the most energy-demanding cells in your body. Recommended dosages for women trying to conceive range from 200 to 600 mg per day. CoQ10 is generally considered more relevant for women over 35, when natural CoQ10 levels decline and egg quality becomes a bigger factor.
Vitamin D also deserves attention. Deficiency is extremely common among women of reproductive age, and low levels have been linked to poorer outcomes in fertility treatment cycles. While there’s no universal agreement on the ideal blood level for conception, most endocrinologists consider levels above 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) sufficient. A simple blood test can tell you where you stand, and most people who are deficient need 1,000 to 4,000 IU daily to reach adequate levels.
Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, support overall reproductive health and become essential once you’re pregnant. The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommends 300 mg of DHA daily for pregnant and lactating women. Starting before conception builds your stores early.
Chasteberry for Irregular Cycles
If your periods are irregular or you’ve been told you have a short luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your next period), chasteberry, also called Vitex, is an herbal supplement with a solid track record. It works by shifting the balance between estrogen and progesterone in favor of progesterone, encouraging ovulation and lengthening the luteal phase. In clinical use, 30 to 40 mg of dried fruit extract daily is the standard dose.
In one study of women with low progesterone, the group taking chasteberry showed increased midluteal progesterone levels, and cycle length improved significantly. It also reduced elevated prolactin levels in 80% of women with that specific hormonal imbalance. Chasteberry isn’t a quick fix. Most practitioners recommend taking it for at least three menstrual cycles to see results, and it should be stopped once you get a positive pregnancy test.
Prescription Medications for Ovulation Problems
If you’re not ovulating regularly and supplements haven’t helped, prescription ovulation-induction medications are the next step. Two options dominate this category.
The first, clomiphene citrate, has been a go-to for decades. It works by blocking estrogen’s feedback signal to your brain, which tricks your body into producing more of the hormones that stimulate your ovaries. The second, letrozole, was originally developed for breast cancer but works through a similar pathway: it temporarily lowers estrogen production, prompting your brain to ramp up ovarian stimulation.
For women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common cause of ovulation problems, letrozole consistently outperforms clomiphene. In one study, clinical pregnancy rates were 25.6% with letrozole compared to 13.3% with clomiphene, and ongoing pregnancy rates followed the same pattern (23.3% versus 11.1%). Both medications are taken orally for a few days early in your cycle, and both require monitoring by a doctor to manage the small risk of multiple pregnancies.
Supplements for Your Partner
About a third of fertility problems involve male factors, so what your partner takes matters too. Three supplements have the strongest evidence for improving sperm quality.
- Zinc: In a controlled trial, men with low sperm motility who took 57 mg of zinc twice daily saw significant improvements in sperm count, motility, and fertilizing capacity after three months. Zinc supplementation should be paired with a small amount of copper (about 2 mg) to prevent copper depletion.
- Selenium: At 100 mcg daily for three months, selenium significantly increased sperm motility in infertile men. In that study, 11% of men taking selenium achieved pregnancy with their partners, compared to none in the placebo group.
- L-carnitine: At 3 to 4 grams daily for four months, this amino acid helped normalize sperm motility in men with low sperm quality. CoQ10 at up to 300 mg daily may also benefit male fertility.
These supplements take two to three months to show results because sperm take roughly 74 days to fully develop. Starting early gives them time to work.
Products That Won’t Sabotage Your Efforts
One thing many couples overlook is lubricant. Most standard lubricants damage sperm on contact. Their chemical makeup, acidity level, and concentration of dissolved particles can reduce sperm motility or kill sperm outright. If you use lubricant during intercourse, switching to a fertility-compatible version is a simple change that can make a real difference.
Fertility lubricants are FDA-cleared medical devices, not just marketing gimmicks. They’re formulated to keep sperm alive, with specifications requiring at least 70% sperm survival after 24 hours. They match the osmolality (fluid concentration) that sperm thrive in and use ingredients like hydroxyethylcellulose instead of the glycerin or silicone found in standard products. Look for labels that specifically say “fertility-friendly” or “sperm-compatible” rather than just “natural” or “water-based.”
Timing and Realistic Expectations
No supplement works overnight. Most need one to three months to build up in your system or influence a hormonal cycle. Starting a comprehensive approach, prenatal vitamins, targeted supplements for any specific issues, and your partner’s regimen, at least three months before you want to conceive gives everything the best chance to take effect.
For healthy couples under 35 with no known fertility issues, the chance of conceiving in any given cycle is about 20 to 25%. That means it’s completely normal for conception to take several months even when everything is working well. If you’ve been trying for 12 months without success (or 6 months if you’re over 35), that’s the point where a fertility evaluation can identify whether something specific, like an ovulation disorder, blocked tubes, or sperm issues, needs targeted treatment beyond supplements.