Zero Trimester: Healthy from the start
Zero Trimester is just what it sounds like: the time before the first trimester of pregnancy. It means optimizing health while trying to conceive. The big difference between this and the three trimesters of pregnancy is that we don’t know how long it will last. For some people it’s days, for others months or years.
While we applaud this forward thinking, we’d like to suggest thinking even further ahead. If a couple is hoping to have children, it’s great if they can both work on optimizing their health for a year before they let go of their contraception.
We have noted in practice that people come to see us just when they are stopping contraception. At this stage we can give supportive lifestyle, dietary and supplement suggestions, but nothing that is contra-indicated in pregnancy.
That’s because we have to treat any woman who is trying for pregnancy as if she is already pregnant, given that conception could happen at any time. Although we know that ovulation usually occurs mid-cycle, on occasion women have conceived at unexpected times, including during their periods, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Before conception there are the obvious lifestyle factors that we think all SHINE readers know about: not smoking, avoiding ultra-processed foods and eating a nutrient-dense diet, filtering water, getting appropriate exercise and sleep, and having tools to manage stress. Alcohol should be cut out altogether when you stop contraception.
Of course there is much more that can be done to prepare for healthy pregnancy.
Optimising health usually includes some detoxification to clean up the body*. When toxins are pulled out of fat cells they are briefly in circulation, so detox is contraindicated in pregnancy. We don’t want those toxins circulating into the developing baby.
Some people have low level microbial problems creating sub-optimal health, and those are better addressed before pregnancy. Because some microbes give off toxins as they die, we don’t want those going to the fetus either. Furthermore, any substance that is given to be toxic to tiny microbes, although tolerated by an adult, has the potential to be directly damaging to the delicate start of a human being.
Health of sperm can be a factor too, so cleaning up applies to the man as well. His contribution may be short lived, but it’s vital that it’s healthy. Studies have observed a downward trend in semen quality over the past decades, and you don’t want to be part of that statistic!
As well as the basic lifestyle factors that apply to both men and women, we know that the testicles like to be cool, hence their position outside the warm torso. Testicular heat stress reduces fertility. It therefore makes sense for men to avoid heating their testicles, for example by using a computer sitting in their lap.
Various toxins are known to disrupt hormone levels. In 2025 it was shown that PFAS (“forever chemicals”) can accumulate in the tissues of the testes. In humans, PFAS exposure is associated with disrupted hormone levels, particularly from compounds like PFOS and PFOA. Effects include lower testosterone, and reduced semen quality, motility and viability.
We are often exposed to these chemicals in our water, hence the advice to filter water. Food packaging is another source, especially the grease-resistant type often used for take-out food: people who eat a lot of take-out have higher levels of PFOAs.
Other toxins are capable of disrupting hormones too, and we are likely to learn of many more as we study them further.
Once actively trying to conceive the woman should supplement as though she is pregnant, taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement designed for pregnancy. Folate is especially important, as this is most needed early in the first trimester, which could even be before a woman knows she is pregnant. Do note that folate (5MTHF) is the natural form and a better choice than folic acid, so make sure your multi has it in this form.**
Vitamin A needs to be kept within safe limits, as too much vitamin A can damage a growing baby. So stick with the pregnancy-multi and don’t add extra vitamin A. This includes avoiding calf’s liver, which is high in vitamin A, and other animal livers may be high in it also. On the other hand, beta-carotene rich foods are helpful for conception and pregnancy, both as an anti-oxidant and by providing the nutrient the body can convert to vitamin A as needed.
Ideally a couple would work on their heath for the year before they start trying for pregnancy, to give them a really good foundation for conception, for pregnancy, and for both parents to feel vibrant as they move into this new delightful but demanding time of life.
For anyone planning a pregnancy later this year, a detox is a great thing to do.
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