Artificial insemination: fish increases baby chances

Lisa Vogel studied departmental journalism with a focus on medicine and biosciences at Ansbach University and deepened her journalistic knowledge in the master's degree in multimedia information and communication. This was followed by a traineeship in the editorial team. Since September 2020 she has been writing as a freelance journalist for

More posts by Lisa Vogel All content is checked by medical journalists.

Fish increases the chances of artificial insemination being successful. Especially when fish replaces processed meat, the likelihood of pregnancy increases. And the effect is amazing.

If a couple remains for a long time without offspring even though they have regular unprotected sex, doctors speak of infertility. In many cases, artificial insemination can help. However, planting fertilized egg cells is by no means always successful. However, diet can increase the chances of pregnancy.

Fish improves fertility

A recent study by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health shows that fish in particular is beneficial. Feiby Nassan's researchers asked 351 women who underwent artificial insemination at Massachusetts General Hospital about their eating habits. The women went through a total of 598 fertilization cycles at the clinic. The researchers then determined the relationship between eating habits and live births per cycle.

If the study participants ate only one serving of fish about every 14 days, the probability of a live birth was 34.2 percent - that's roughly one in three. Women who ate almost two servings of fish a week had a 44.7 percent chance of having a healthy child. Women who managed to get more than three servings of fish a week had a 47.7 percent chance of becoming mothers. That is almost every second.

"Probability increases with increasing consumption"

“The likelihood of a live birth increased as the consumption of fish increased,” the researchers write. They found the best chance of conceiving women who replaced processed meat with fish. "These results provide additional evidence that diet affects fertility and the success of infertility treatment," the researchers write.

Above all, the proteins and fatty acids contained should be responsible for the effect. The latter plays a central role: "An increased consumption of fish and seafood increases the intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids - and this can improve fertility."

Omega-3 fatty acids keep cells supple

Fish contains the unsaturated fatty acid in large quantities. The body cannot produce these substances itself; they only enter the organism through food. Omega-3 fatty acids are, among other things, a component of cell membranes. They ensure that the cells are permeable and flexible. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends taking 0.5 percent of your daily energy intake through omega-3 fatty acids.

Every tenth couple affected

Around every tenth couple between the ages of 25 and 59 are involuntarily childless despite unprotected sexual intercourse. In up to 40 percent of these couples, one of the partners is sterile due to a biological disorder. In every fifth couple, both partners are affected and not at all or only partially fertile. STDs, hormonal changes, and organic defects can cause infertility.

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