{"id":23249,"date":"2025-08-28T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/?p=23249"},"modified":"2026-02-24T18:55:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T00:55:32","slug":"vitamines-pour-femmes-enceintes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/fr\/vitamins-pregnant\/","title":{"rendered":"La vitamine C peut-elle am\u00e9liorer la fertilit\u00e9 f\u00e9minine ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Vitamin C\u2013best known as the supplement taken at the first sign of a cold\u2013may actually improve fertility for both women and men. If you\u2019re part of the 10-15% of couples worldwide struggling to get pregnant, could this humble vitamin help increase chances of conception [1]?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is vitamin C?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a nutrient used by your body to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, collagen, and bones. Vitamin C is also a major nutrient used in the body\u2019s healing process, playing a role in everything from the healing of cuts and tissue damage, to absorbing iron, to making collagen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin C is also highly abundant, and is found in many common foods like citrus fruits, strawberries, and broccoli. Most people who eat a healthy diet are able to get the recommended daily amount of vitamin C (90mg per day for men and 75mg for women) through food alone [2]. However, your body cannot store vitamin C for very long, so getting enough every day is critical for maintaining adequate levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin C is also a common antioxidant\u2013a compound that helps protect the body\u2019s cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, the harmful molecules that are made when your body is exposed to cigarette smoke, UV radiation from the sun, pollution, breaking down processed foods, and even just the natural effect of cells using oxygen to survive [1, 2]. An excess of free radicals accumulated in the body plus a lack of antioxidants like vitamin C can lead to oxidative stress, which can present itself as cancer or heart disease by damaging DNA in the body\u2019s cells [3].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin C is also a common antioxidant\u2013a compound that helps protect the body\u2019s cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, the harmful molecules that are made when your body is exposed to cigarette smoke, UV radiation from the sun, pollution, breaking down processed foods, and even just the natural effect of cells using oxygen to survive.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Can free radicals affect fertility?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In both women and men, oxidative stress [OS] from an accumulation of free radicals also plays a role in decreased fertility. In men, this is seen in decreased sperm mobility, sperm count, and the ability for the sperm and egg to fuse together [4]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For women, the effects of OS can be seen at the very beginning stages of the fertility cycle<\/a>. Before eggs are mature enough to be released from the ovaries they are called oocytes. DNA damage to the oocytes from OS can lead to lipid peroxidation (think of the fat in your cells getting \u201crusty\u201d), cell walls breaking down, and loss of cellular energy (\u201cmitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell!\u201d). A \u201crusty\u201d oocyte isn\u2019t likely to mature into a healthy egg, and therefore it also has less of a chance of becoming fertilized and developing successfully as an embryo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DNA damage to the oocytes from OS can lead to lipid peroxidation, cell walls breaking down, and loss of cellular energy.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The endometrium is also highly sensitive to oxidative damage since the cells of the uterine walls have to \u201cremodel\u201d to allow an embryo to implant. High levels of OS can affect the genes that tell the endometrial cells how to receive and accommodate an embryo trying to implant into the uterine lining, leading to an unfavorable environment for development [5].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The endometrium is also highly sensitive to oxidative damage since the cells of the uterine walls have to \u201cremodel\u201d to allow an embryo to implant. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Oxidative stress can also wreak havoc on granulosa cells\u2013the cells found within the ovarian follicles that produce estrogen and support the developing oocyte. When these granulosa cells and oocytes are damaged by free radicals, the odds of developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility increase<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the damage to reproductive health caused by OS isn\u2019t contained to the pre-conception period. According to the American Pregnancy Association<\/a>, \u201crecurrent pregnancy loss, spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia<\/a> (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and fetal death are all linked to oxidative stress. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), a condition where the fetus is smaller than expected for the number of weeks of pregnancy, is also linked to too many [OS]. Oxidative stress can play a role in embryonic resorption, where the fetus is reabsorbed back into the body, leading to miscarriage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As disturbing as it is that something as seemingly minute as free radicals can lead to big problems with infertility or even miscarriage, the good news is that one possible solution could be just as powerful: vitamin C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antioxidants, like vitamin C, are critical for good fertility<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Without getting too much into a high school chemistry lesson, free radicals are so destructive because they don\u2019t have a complete set of valence electrons, and steal their missing electron from other molecules in the body. This thievery comes with a cost: it slowly destroys cells as the molecules that make them up are broken down. By contrast, antioxidants are \u201cscavenger\u201d compounds that find free radical compounds in the body, and stabilize them by donating an electron, effectively turning the free radicals\u2019 destructive mode \u201coff\u201d [6]. Any compound that donates electrons to \u201cturn off\u201d free radicals are called antioxidants: vitamin C, vitamin E, and the minerals copper, zinc, and selenium<\/a> are all antioxidant compounds [6].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the threat of free radicals neutralized by antioxidants, oocytes can mature into healthy eggs, and granulosa cells can continue producing estrogen to maintain healthy cycles, possibly increasing a woman\u2019s odds of achieving pregnancy. Not only that, but antioxidants like vitamin C have been proposed to improve blood flow in the endometrium<\/a>, decrease levels of male hormones common in women with PCOS<\/a>, lower risk of diabetes, and improve fertile cervical mucus<\/a> [1].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antioxidants like vitamin C have been proposed to improve blood flow in the endometrium, decrease levels of male hormones common in women with PCOS, lower risk of diabetes, and improve fertile cervical mucus.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A multivitamin a day keeps infertility away?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One fascinating study in the journal Scientific Reports<\/em><\/a> looked at 2,162 women over the course of 5 years, measuring the relationship between the women’s composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI)\u2013the measure of antioxidant intake from food\u2013and their rates of infertility. Researchers found that the women with higher levels of CDAI (with vitamin C being one of the examined antioxidants) had lower reported infertility. In fact, the highest-CDAI group had up to 60% lower odds of infertility compared to the group with the lowest CDAI! [5].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes it a good idea to start taking a multivitamin when trying to conceive. In fact, women trying to achieve pregnancy are often recommended by their doctor to start taking a prenatal multivitamin<\/a>, especially to ensure that if conception does occur, the baby in-utero gets enough folate right from the start to prevent neural tube defects, heart defects, cleft palate, and cleft lip. Most multivitamins also have at least 100% of the US Health Recommended Daily Intake of antioxidant rich vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, which, as mentioned before, can protect egg quality<\/a> by keeping free radicals from damaging the oocytes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most multivitamins also have at least 100% of the US Health Recommended Daily Intake of antioxidant rich vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, which, as mentioned before, can protect egg quality by keeping free radicals from damaging the oocytes.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other fertility benefits of vitamin C<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the ovaries, vitamin C stimulates the production of luteal phase<\/a> hormones, like progesterone<\/a>, which are necessary for \u201cremodeling\u201d the uterine walls to allow for implantation of a blastocyst and the maintenance of a pregnancy [7]. Vitamin C also regulates collagen, which is necessary during the follicular<\/a> phase for basic ovarian functions like follicle growth, forming the corpus luteum, and repairing the ruptured follicle after ovulation [7]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a study in the journal Nutrients<\/em>, \u201cHistorical studies on severe vitamin C deficiency have documented \u2018loss of the [fertility cycle]\u2019 in guinea pigs and [heavy menstrual bleeding<\/a>] in women with scurvy, likely a combined effect of bleeding diathesis [impaired blood clotting] and hormonal changes such as lowered progesterone.\u201d Furthermore, “inadequate vitamin C intake might disrupt the regulation of […] menstrual cycles, impair ovarian and uterine function, and negatively impact female fertility\u201d [7].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role of supplements in a healthy diet<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However tempting it may be to supplement your way to perfect health without having to change up your diet, it\u2019s a good idea to try to get enough important nutrients through the foods we eat. Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables like citrus, berries, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach. And while supplements can have their place, they should be exactly that: a supplement <\/em>to an already healthy, nourishing diet. And while vitamin C is safe in appropriate doses, there are side effects to overdoing it like nausea, heartburn, stomach cramps, headaches, and skin flushing. Long-term use of high doses (exceeding 2000mg per day) can also increase risk of kidney stones [2].<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bottom line on vitamin C and fertility <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin C and other antioxidants clearly play an important role in menstrual cycle health, which is the foundation for good fertility and healthy pregnancies. Because vitamin C is abundant in many healthy foods, making an effort to get more vitamin C through the foods you consume could be the first step towards making healthy dietary changes. However, for those with nutritional deficiencies that diet alone can\u2019t solve (such as those caused by hormonal birth control<\/a>), supplementing can make good sense, too. As always, be sure to check with your doctor or other healthcare professional before starting a new supplement regimen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in other Natural Womanhood articles that talk about different nutrients that may improve fertility? Check these out!<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n