What to Expect At Your First Appointment With a Fertility Nutritionist

Boosting your fertility starts with what’s on your plate! Whether you’ve been referred to a nutritionist or just want to take control of your health, knowing what to expect can make all the difference. This guide explores how a fertility nutritionist can help you, what your first visit will look like, and why personalized nutrition is a game-changer on your path to parenthood.

In this article:

• Working With a Fertility Nutritionist
• What does a fertility nutritionist do?
• When should I see a fertility nutritionist?
• Why should I meet with a fertility nutritionist?
• What to Expect Before Your Appointment
• What to Expect At Your Fertility Nutrition Visit
• The Intake Process
• How We Support You
• Follow-Up Care
• Want to meet with a fertility nutritionist?

Working With a Fertility Nutritionist

Are you a patient of one of Illume Fertility's reproductive endocrinologists who has been referred for a nutrition visit? Perhaps you've recently learned about the impact nutrition can have on fertility and feel interested in scheduling a visit on your own.

No matter your situation, you may be feeling a little unsure about what to expect from your first appointment with a fertility nutritionist. If so, you're in the right place!

As a former Illume Fertility patient, and now as one half of Illume's in-house Nutrition Team, I am here to put you at ease and provide insight into what you can expect during your first nutrition visit at our practice.

Note: Even if you aren't an Illume patient, you'll find that this guide offers a great general overview of what an initial nutrition consultation will look like - so keep reading!

What does a fertility nutritionist do?

As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a master’s degree in nutrition, my job is to provide individualized counseling utilizing evidence-based nutrition recommendations.

In addition to my professional expertise, I also know firsthand what it's like to struggle with infertility. Whenever I work with patients, I'm able to offer an extra layer of compassion and understanding paired with helpful, practical guidance that meets you where you are.

Here's what I will do:

• Work as part of your fertility Care Team to help you reach your goals.
• Provide education and information to support your reason for referral.
• Partner with you to come up with sustainable changes that promote a healthier lifestyle and future pregnancy.

Here's what I won't do:

• Suggest restrictive behaviors or fad diets.
• Push you to pursue unattainable goals or excessive exercise routines.
• Cause you to feel any shame about your body or current eating habits.

If you've had negative experiences with nutritionists or other healthcare providers in the past, it makes sense that you might be hesitant to try again! However, if you're willing to push past that anxiety and give it another shot, know that a good nutritionist will never try to shame you or make you feel badly about your diet or lifestyle habits.

Our only goal is helping you get from where you are to where you want to be.

Note: Here at Illume, we undergo ongoing education, such as anti-weight bias trainings, and pride ourselves on offering a morally neutral, non-judgmental approach to nutrition. 

When should I see a fertility nutritionist?

Nutrition visits can be beneficial at any point in your fertility journey, including the first trimester of pregnancy. Whether you want to review your existing diet and lifestyle habits or have a professional help you develop new ones, it's never too early (or too late) to reach out to a fertility nutritionist. 

Why should I meet with a fertility nutritionist?

Research has shown that modifiable lifestyle-related factors, such as your diet, can impact fertility. A fertility nutritionist is able to develop a tailored dietary plan based on your unique metabolic profile, which can be more effective than generic nutrition recommendations.

With so much of this process feeling out of your control, it's empowering to focus on what you can change. Adding a nutritionist to your Care Team is one great way to do this!

Here's how working with a nutritionist can increase your chances of success:

Supports Hormonal Balance

What you eat plays a key role in regulating hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and insulin, all of which impact ovulation and overall reproductive health.

Optimizes Egg and Sperm Quality

Nutrient-rich foods and targeted supplements can improve egg and sperm quality, increasing your chances of successful conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Improves Conditions That Affect Fertility

If you have PCOS, endometriosis, or unexplained infertility, following a fertility-focused diet can help manage symptoms and improve reproductive outcomes.

Reduces Inflammation & Stress

A well-balanced diet can help lower inflammation and oxidative stress, which are linked to fertility challenges.

Prepares Your Body for Pregnancy

Proper nutrition before conception supports a healthy pregnancy and reduces the risk of complications like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.

Enhances Success of Fertility Treatments

If you’re undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, nutrition can play a crucial role in supporting implantation and overall success rates.

The bottom line: If you are having trouble conceiving and want to increase your chances of fertility treatment success, consider adding a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist to your Care Team for additional support.

What to Expect Before Your Appointment

Your Patient Navigator will schedule your nutrition appointment at a convenient time and provide you with details about how to join the call (if it's a virtual appointment). If scheduling an in-person appointment, you will receive a confirmation email from Illume. 

Before you meet with one of Illume's nutritionists, we will have you complete a detailed intake form. This information helps us get to know you and prepare for our first consultation together with your specific background and lifestyle in mind.

We will also have secure access to your Illume medical record, which allows us to review your fertility history and current treatment plan (if applicable), helping to better coordinate care with your doctor and other members of your Care Team.

What to eat while TTC:

What if the best diet wasn't actually a diet at all? A fertility nutritionist explains how to eat to boost your chances of conceiving.

What to Expect At Your Fertility Nutrition Visit

During your initial nutrition consultation, we will conduct a comprehensive intake, which helps us pinpoint any specific areas to focus on. What does this process entail and what will that first visit look like? Let’s get into it!

The Intake Process

Here's what you can expect to discuss during our initial consultation: 

1. The reason for your referral

We will begin by asking what you are looking to gain from the visit and/or why you were referred for a nutrition consultation. Your physician may have referred you to us for a variety of reasons, which can include:

• Abnormal nutrition-related lab values (bloodwork)
• Abnormal weight gain or weight loss
• Current body mass index (BMI)
• Medical conditions such as gestational diabetes, pre-diabetes/diabetes, PCOS, gastrointestinal (GI) conditions
• General dietary counseling

If you are interested in seeing a nutritionist and have not yet received an official referral, please reach out to your Illume Care Team to request one and schedule your first visit. If you aren't currently a patient at Illume, please schedule a consult to learn more!

2. Your health history

Understanding what your body has been through (whether that be previous surgical procedures, medical diagnoses, or treatments) helps us find the best path forward. At this point in the process, we may also discuss your weight history, if you are comfortable sharing.

3. Current medications or supplements

Next up, we will review with you any current medications and supplements you may be taking.

Note: Having these available to reference and/or having a complete list of their names and dosages at your appointment is helpful.

If you are trying to conceive, we will make sure that you are on a complete prenatal and can discuss specific recommendations during the visit. We will also review other supplements you are taking to make sure they are safe for fertility.

We may recommend additional supplements if needed, such as vitamin D or iron (if deficiency is found). For certain patients, we may also recommend supplements like CoQ10 or inositol to support optimal health.

4. Recent blood work

Once we have reviewed all medications and supplements, we will discuss any nutrition-related blood work with you.

After your initial fertility consultation with the doctor, they will check your hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as well as your vitamin D levels, as both can impact fertility. You will be referred for a nutrition consult with us if either your A1c or vitamin D levels are abnormal.

We may also recommend additional nutrition-related lab work to assess insulin, iron, vitamin B12, or a lipid panel or two-hour glucose tolerance test.

5. Food allergies or dietary restrictions

Next, we will discuss any food allergies/intolerances, diet restrictions, or ongoing gastrointestinal upset, as well as your overall daily intake of meals, snacks, and hydration.

Remember: Our goal is never to scrutinize every bite you're eating - we simply want to get a comprehensive overview of your current dietary habits and/or challenges.

6. Daily routines

Finally, we will discuss any ongoing movement (exercise) routines, sleep habits, and current stress levels. Each of these plays a critical role in your overall health, so it's important that we look at each piece of the puzzle.

How We Support You

After the intake process is complete, we'll have a much better idea of what you need and how we can best help you moving forward. Here's what we'll discuss together:

• Healthy eating tips to support fertility
• Meal planning and prep tips, if desired
• Suggestions for optimizing your diet to help you achieve your goals
• How to incorporate or enhance your current exercise routine
• Fertility-friendly movement practices you'll enjoy (if you don't have an existing routine)

We can also provide referrals to Illume's in-house acupuncture team or fertility-focused mental health providers in our vetted network. 

Lastly, we will allow plenty of time for you to ask any nutrition-related questions.

Follow-Up Care

After your initial nutrition consultation, you can expect to receive an email from your nutritionist with helpful nutrition-related materials and a recap of what was discussed during the visit. We also offer some great nutrition resources right here on our Learning Center!

We will check in periodically to encourage you to schedule follow-up visits and see how you're doing with any recommended changes. If needed, we can always make alterations to your plan that best support where you are in your fertility journey.

Want to meet with a fertility nutritionist?

At Illume, we offer both in-person and virtual appointments, making it easy to schedule nutrition visits at the time and place that work best for you. If you and your partner wish to schedule a visit together (or individually) we are also happy to work with couples.

To book an appointment with an Illume Fertility nutritionist, ask your doctor, nurse, or Patient Navigator. If you are new to Illume, please schedule an initial consultation to get started.

Did you know? Nutrition consultations are frequently covered by insurance, and your Illume Financial Counselor can help you determine whether your personal plan will cover this service. If you do not have insurance, you can also utilize HSA or FSA funds.

Knowing what to expect from a visit with a healthcare provider often helps reduce anxiety so you feel more prepared to take the next step. I hope that this guide helps you feel more comfortable about meeting with a fertility nutritionist.

On behalf of Illume's Nutrition Team (which includes both myself and Jill Hickey, RDN) we look forward to meeting with you and supporting you on your path to better health!