23 papers reviewed
Nutritional & Lifestyle Interventions
2019 · guideline · 1 of 23
Periconceptional folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects
WHO · WHO e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA)
Folic acid supplementation in the periconceptional period prevents neural tube defects. WHO recommends 400mcg daily folate for all women planning pregnancy.
Read the paper ↗2015 · RCT · 2 of 23
Methyltetrahydrofolate vs folic acid supplementation in idiopathic recurrent miscarriage with respect to MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms: a randomized controlled trial
Hekmatdoost A et al. · Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Serum folate increased significantly more with methylfolate vs folic acid. However, no beneficial effect of 5-MTHF vs folic acid on pregnancy outcomes in women with RPL and MTHFR polymorphisms was found.
Read the paper ↗2021 · case-control · 3 of 23
Correlation of methylation status in MTHFR promoter region with recurrent pregnancy loss
Various · Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
MTHFR 677TT variant reduces enzyme activity, leading to impaired folate metabolism and higher homocysteine. Associated with reduced transferable embryos and cumulative live birth rates.
Read the paper ↗2024 · review · 4 of 23
The critical role of folate in prenatal health and a proposed shift from folic acid to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate supplementation
Various · Georgetown Medical Review
Reviews evidence supporting active folate (5-MTHF/methylfolate) over synthetic folic acid. Relevant for MTHFR gene variants where folic acid conversion may be impaired.
Read the paper ↗2012 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 5 of 23
Effect of folate intake on health outcomes in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis on birth weight, placental weight and length of gestation
Fekete K et al. · Nutrition Journal
Significant dose-response: 2% increase in birth weight for every two-fold increase in folate intake. No effect on gestational length, confirming safety.
Read the paper ↗2021 · review · 6 of 23
Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy: adverse effects on pregnancy outcome and offspring development
Various · Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
IDA associated with IUGR, premature birth, low birth weight, increased labor time, higher infection risk, and elevated maternal/perinatal mortality. Iron supplementation significantly improves outcomes.
Read the paper ↗2025 · retrospective cohort · 7 of 23
Pregnancy outcomes among women with treated iron deficiency anemia: a retrospective cohort study
Various · Journal of Clinical Medicine
Even with treatment, IDA may still slightly increase risk of preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and low birth weight, emphasizing importance of early detection and prevention.
Read the paper ↗2024 · meta-analysis · 8 of 23
Effect of omega-3 supplements or diets on fertility in women: a meta-analysis
Various · Heliyon
Omega-3 intake significantly improves women's pregnancy and fertilization rates, though high heterogeneity limits interpretation. All 5 studies on ART showed beneficial effects on oocyte/embryo quality.
Read the paper ↗2025 · meta-analysis · 9 of 23
A meta-analysis of the literature evaluating the impact of vitamin D on female fertility and ovarian reserve function
Various · Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
Vitamin D supplementation showed significant enhancement in number of dominant follicles, ovulation rate, and pregnancy rate. Deficiency associated with increased miscarriage, preterm birth, and GDM risk.
Read the paper ↗2024 · umbrella review · 10 of 23
Effects of vitamin D in pregnancy on maternal and offspring health-related outcomes: an umbrella review
Various · Nutrition Reviews
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy increases risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, recurrent miscarriage, bacterial vaginosis, and GDM. Supplementation reduces risks of pre-eclampsia and fetal/neonatal mortality.
Read the paper ↗2022 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 11 of 23
Vitamin D and miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Various · Fertility and Sterility
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of miscarriage. Supplementation may reduce this risk, supporting routine vitamin D testing in fertility workup.
Read the paper ↗2023 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 12 of 23
Mediterranean diet and female reproductive health over lifespan: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Various · American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Limited but suggestive evidence of beneficial roles of Mediterranean diet on female fertility. May be protective against adverse pregnancy outcomes including GDM, preterm birth, and hypertension.
Read the paper ↗2022 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 13 of 23
Mediterranean diet and infertility: a systematic review with meta-analysis of cohort studies
Various · PubMed
Cohort studies show highest adherence to Mediterranean diet inversely associated with GDM, pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, and IUGR.
Read the paper ↗2018 · RCT · 14 of 23
Pretreatment with coenzyme Q10 improves ovarian response and embryo quality in low-prognosis young women with decreased ovarian reserve: a randomized controlled trial
Xu Y et al. · Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
CoQ10 pretreatment improved ovarian response and embryo quality in young women with diminished ovarian reserve. More retrieved eggs and better embryo quality than controls.
Read the paper ↗2025 · review · 15 of 23
Exploring the protective effects of coenzyme Q10 on female fertility
Various · Reproductive Sciences
CoQ10 improves egg quality by increasing mitochondrial energy production and lowering oxidative stress. Ubiquinol (reduced form) more bioavailable than ubiquinone, especially in women over 35. Typical dose 200-600mg daily, started 2-3 months before conception.
Read the paper ↗2019 · cohort · 16 of 23
Dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation improves the outcomes of in vitro fertilization cycles in older patients with diminished ovarian reserve
Zhang M et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology
DHEA supplementation increased oocyte yields, embryo yields, and cumulative pregnancy rates in women with DOR. Acts as prohormone for testosterone, important for early folliculogenesis.
Read the paper ↗2009 · case-control · 17 of 23
Miscarriage rates after dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in women with diminished ovarian reserve: a case control study
Gleicher N et al. · Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
DHEA supplementation in women with DOR was associated with reduced miscarriage rates, potentially by improving oocyte quality. Most poor ovarian responders do not respond clinically.
Read the paper ↗2025 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 18 of 23
Melatonin improved the outcomes of women with ART: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
Various · Reproductive Sciences
Melatonin supplementation improves intermediate outcomes including fertilization rate, embryo quality, and clinical pregnancy rates. Favorable safety profile. Large RCTs still needed.
Read the paper ↗2016 · review · 19 of 23
How to achieve high-quality oocytes? The key role of myo-inositol and melatonin
Various · International Journal of Endocrinology
Melatonin raises fertilization rate while myo-inositol improves pregnancy rate. Combined treatment improves results over either alone. Both act through mitochondrial protection and antioxidant mechanisms.
Read the paper ↗2023 · mini-review · 20 of 23
The effect of physical activity on fertility: a mini-review
Various · F&S Reports
Moderate exercise (30-60 min/day) lowers risk of ovulatory infertility. >5-6 hours/week vigorous exercise may reduce fertility. Exercise >1hr and <5hr/week increases fertility in all women.
Read the paper ↗2025 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 21 of 23
Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy on embryo transfer day: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical pregnancy and live birth outcomes
Various · Reproductive Sciences
Acupuncture significantly improves clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates but does not significantly increase live birth rates overall. May be more beneficial for women with prior unsuccessful ART attempts.
Read the paper ↗2019 · systematic review / meta-analysis · 22 of 23
The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Various · BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Meta-analysis of 27 studies (6,116 participants): pooled clinical pregnancy rate favored acupuncture, but live birth rate was not significantly different. No differences between acupuncture and sham controls, suggesting possible placebo effects.
Read the paper ↗2024 · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · 23 of 23
Effectiveness of preconception weight loss interventions on fertility in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Caldwell AE et al. · Fertility and Sterility
Across 16 pregnancy studies (n=3,588), preconception weight-loss interventions increased pregnancy rates (RR 1.24) but did not improve live birth or miscarriage overall. The authors do not support a one-size-fits-all weight-loss recommendation immediately before conception.
Read the paper ↗A paper's presence documents the evidence reviewed; it does not mean Filia endorses every intervention or conclusion.