For many women, fertility is something we assume will be there when we're ready. We focus on careers, relationships, buying homes, travelling and building our lives. Then one day, when the time feels right, we expect our bodies to be ready too. But for an increasing number of couples, the journey to parenthood isn't always as straightforward as they imagined.
In a recent conversation with fertility and IVF preparation specialist Liberty Mills, the discussion explored one of the biggest health challenges facing modern society: declining fertility and what we can do to support our health before conception.
You can watch the full podcast here:
Fertility Is About More Than Age
We often hear that fertility declines with age, particularly for women. While that is true, Liberty's own story challenges the idea that age alone determines fertility outcomes. At 43, she was told she had just a 0.7% chance of conceiving naturally and was advised to pursue IVF. Four months later, after making significant lifestyle changes, she conceived naturally and gave birth shortly before her 45th birthday.
Her experience highlights an important distinction. You cannot increase the number of eggs you have.
However, you may be able to support the quality of those eggs and create a healthier environment within the body for conception and pregnancy.
Fertility Starts Before You Start Trying
One of the most valuable takeaways from the conversation was that preparing for pregnancy should ideally begin months before trying to conceive.
Egg maturation takes around 120 days, while sperm development takes approximately 70 days. This means the choices you make today may influence reproductive health several months from now.
Rather than viewing conception as a single event, it can be helpful to think of it as a period of preparation and investment in your future family's health.
The Foundations Matter Most
Before discussing supplements, treatments or testing, Liberty repeatedly returned to the same core foundations:
- Quality sleep
- Managing stress
- Eating nutrient-dense foods
- Consuming adequate protein
- Regular movement
- Avoiding smoking and vaping
- Limiting alcohol
- Supporting overall metabolic health
Many of these changes cost little or nothing, yet they can have a significant impact on wellbeing and hormone health.
Why Sleep Could Be Your Secret Weapon
Modern life has normalised late nights, endless scrolling and constant stimulation.
Liberty recommends creating consistent sleep routines, avoiding screens before bed and allowing the body to settle into a natural rhythm.
Good sleep supports:
- Hormone regulation
- Recovery
- Stress management
- Cellular repair
- Energy levels
And while it may not be as exciting as the latest wellness trend, it remains one of the most powerful tools available.
Stress, Fertility and Intimacy
Trying to conceive can quickly become stressful.
Ovulation tracking, appointments, testing and monthly disappointments can create pressure that affects both physical and emotional wellbeing.
Liberty highlighted something many couples experience but rarely discuss openly: intimacy can start to feel scheduled rather than spontaneous.
When stress levels rise, libido, energy and connection often suffer too.
Supporting your wellbeing during this time isn't just about reproductive health. It's also about maintaining the emotional connection that brought you together in the first place.
Supporting Vitality and Wellbeing Along the Way
While no supplement can replace the foundations of a healthy lifestyle, targeted nutritional support can play a role in helping you feel your best.
Interestingly, several ingredients discussed during the podcast featured prominently in Liberty's own approach, including maca, a botanical that has traditionally been used to support energy, vitality and libido.
This is one reason many women choose to include Elle Sera's Golden Pill as part of their wellness routine.
Each Golden Pill capsule contains:
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Maca Extract 10:1
-
Ginkgo Biloba
-
Siberian Ginseng
-
Tribulus Terrestris Extract 35:1
-
Red Beetroot
These carefully selected ingredients are designed to support vitality, energy, circulation and overall wellbeing as part of a healthy lifestyle.
(It's important to note that Golden Pill is not intended to treat infertility or increase fertility. Rather, it can complement a broader wellness approach focused on helping women feel more energised, confident and connected to their health).
Nutrition: Creating a Better Environment
Liberty often describes fertility as creating a healthier "garden" for conception.
Her recommendations focused on simple, nutrient-rich foods including:
- Eggs
- Bone broth
- Oily fish
- Dark berries
- Green vegetables
- Healthy fats
- Adequate hydration
- Omega-3-rich foods
The goal isn't perfection.
The goal is consistently providing your body with the nutrients required for hormone production, cellular repair and overall health.
Don't Forget Protein and Collagen
One of Liberty's own changes during her fertility journey was increasing her protein intake through foods such as bone broth and eggs.
Bone broth naturally contains collagen and amino acids that support gut health and overall wellbeing.
At Elle Sera, we believe that supporting your body from the inside out is important at every stage of life.
Our Liposomal Tripeptide Collagen contains:
- 2600mg Liposomal Tripeptide Collagen (Gly-Pro-Hyp)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Biotin (Vitamin B7)
- Zinc
- Lycopene
This advanced formula is designed to support healthy skin, hair, nails, joints and overall vitality as part of a balanced lifestyle.
While collagen supplements are not a fertility treatment, maintaining adequate protein intake and supporting overall nutritional status are important components of long-term health and wellbeing.
The Environmental Factors We Rarely Think About
The conversation also explored the growing concerns around environmental exposures.
Topics discussed included:
- Plastic food containers
- Plastic water bottles
- Household cleaning products
- Artificial fragrances
- Air fresheners
- Smoking and vaping
While it may not be realistic to eliminate every exposure, making small improvements where possible can be a positive step towards creating a healthier environment for yourself and your family.
Male Fertility Matters Too
One of the most eye-opening parts of the discussion centred around male fertility.
Fertility challenges are often viewed as a women's issue, but sperm health plays an equally important role.
Lifestyle factors including stress, poor sleep, alcohol consumption, smoking and overall health can all influence sperm quality.
Preparing for conception should always be viewed as a shared responsibility and a team effort.
Vitamin D: The Nutrient Everyone Should Know About
If there was one nutrient Liberty repeatedly emphasised, it was Vitamin D.
Vitamin D plays a role in countless systems throughout the body and is particularly important for overall health and wellbeing.
Many people in the UK have suboptimal levels, making it worth discussing testing and supplementation with a healthcare professional, particularly when planning a pregnancy.
A Different Way to Think About Fertility
Perhaps the most powerful message from the entire conversation came at the very end.
Liberty encourages her clients to stop saying:
"I'm trying to get pregnant."
Instead, she asks them to say:
"I'm investing in meeting my child."
It's a subtle shift, but a meaningful one.
It moves the focus away from pressure and timelines and towards nurturing health, wellbeing and the future family you hope to build.
Final Thoughts
Fertility is complex, deeply personal and different for every individual.
While there are no guarantees, what this conversation reinforces is that many aspects of our health remain within our control.
Prioritising sleep, managing stress, eating nourishing foods, supporting nutrient intake, caring for gut health and creating healthier daily habits may not be glamorous, but they provide the foundations upon which long-term health is built.
Alongside these foundations, many people choose to support their wellbeing with evidence-led nutrition, whether that's Vitamin D, Omega-3, Elle Sera's Liposomal Tripeptide Collagen or Golden Pill as part of a holistic approach to health.
Because when it comes to fertility, healthy ageing and overall wellbeing, the same principle often applies:
Small, consistent actions can create meaningful change over time.
