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I'm curious as to the length of time it took women to conceive while either following a paleo lifestyle or not, please list your age, time it took, degree to which you followed a paleo diet (%), and any underlying health issues if any.

I'm hoping your answers can inform the following question:

is the average time it takes for paleo women to get pregnant, less than non paleo women?

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This will be a hard question to answer, IMO! Anecdotally, some women get pregnant right after going Paleo, but I doubt there are any statistics available. Most of the pregnant Primal/Paleo mamas I have worked with were ttc before they went Paleo. And there are so many folks who eat so many variations and percentages of Paleo, not to mention the age range... There are a fair number of ttc women on the MDA forum by the way... – Dragonfly Oct 4 2011 at 2:57
I agree with dragonfly. Also, for me, I had two pregnancies prior to going paleo. I tried for a few months this fall and it didn't happen, but I'm also 4 years older than the last time I got pregnant. Age is going to make a difference too. – twochickadeez Mar 20 at 12:39

12 Answers

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If it takes me any less time to get pregnant while eating paleo than not, it'll be immaculate conception.

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LOL! Priceless! – Dragonfly Oct 4 2011 at 3:35
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I'm 13 weeks today!!

I started TTC in May. Had two cycles full of travelling (May and June), so we couldn't time it right. And then we conceived in the third cycle (in July). This is my first.

I have to say: there's many more things to take into account than paleo vs non-paleo (I'm sure you know this, but I need to say it). Things like:

  • having been on birth-control (the pill) vs not having been on birth control
  • following a low-fat diet vs a high-fat diet, age(!!!)
  • whether or not your hormones are behaving (leptin and thyroid)
  • knowing when you're actually ovulating (by charting temps and cervical fluid or by using an ovulation kit) vs not having any idea when you're ovulating, and
  • the sperm count of your partner

I suggest getting two books: Taking Charge of Your Fertility and Mastering Leptin if you're having trouble conceiving. One will help you figure out when you're ovulating so you can time intercourse right. The other will help ensure that your hormones are working right (because hormones are what drives the reproductive cycles!!).

Good luck!!

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P.S. Due in April, 2012! :) – gilliebean Oct 4 2011 at 15:28
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Congratulations!!! That is such fantastic news!!! – Thumper Oct 4 2011 at 15:43
Thanks Bree! :D – gilliebean Oct 4 2011 at 16:09
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I'd say it took about five minutes but my wife might disagree;-)

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I went off the pill (after 16 1/2 years) in January. Was eating SAD- no period (not totally a surprise). Started eating Paleo (80/20) in April, got my period in May and am now 10 weeks pregnant. I have my 1st doctors appointment tomorrow which I am looking forward to, as I have had no morning sickness, cravings, etc. My little stomach (that wasn't there after going Paleo!) tells me there is a baby on board, but hearing a heartbeat will be reassuring. Sorry- I don't think I really answered your question. I can tell you I am 38 and I feel that getting rid of grains and increasing the healthy fats, put me in a better position (!) to get pregnant.

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I don't know if this helps but after a year of TTC I realized I wasn't getting pregnant because I was too fat so I went on atkins. I already was pretty crunchy granola though, so I didn't go for the atkins shakes and other crap some people eat. I then found out I was pregnant 6 weeks later. I had no idea I was actually eating low carb paleo. I think it was the wheat that was screwing me up. I was always a 2-4 times a month liver and frequent seafood eater. it was definitely the grains holding me back.

I can't wait to try again in a couple years fully paleo.

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I came off contraceptive pill and got pregnant within 4 (regular) cycles with my DD. I was 10 weeks postnatal with her when I became pregnant again with my DS - unfortunately, Breastfeeding didn't become established with DD. I'm pretty sure with lactational amenorrhea it'd have taken longer.

Both non-paleo, high grains/SWD with type 2 diabetes.

ALWAYS had regular cycles.

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Got pregnant with my first really easily when I was eating SAD. Have been paleo since March and TTC for almost a year now without any luck :o(

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I started eatting Paleo in April 2011. My husband and I started trying mid August 2011 and we go pregnant Mid September. I am now 11 weeks pregnant but have not been able to stick to paleo because of the naseau. This is our 1st child and I am 29.

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i was fairly strict paleo and xfitting; went off pill (after 10 yrs) to try non-hormonal contraceptive and got pregnant after one cycle. no morning sickness and thanks to deadlifting regimen (i stuck with 135# til my 32nd week) no back pain either. i've gained it all in my belly; only pitfall? flunked the GD screen.

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I can say I was low fat and under eating plus bulimic and an over exerciser before discovering low carb/paleo-ish and back than my periods were like 4-5 months apart if they came. I think I regulated around 21 years old after discovering low carb- Atkins where I was still a binge eater that would purge only after binges (1-2 x week) but would eat low carb most the time. I got pregnant immediately with my ex while doing a semi raw paleo/ low carb thing for a month. I never used contraception before and he did ejaculate in me when we were having sex but never had I gotten pregnant before with past ex's on the occasional slip ups. I think I got pregnant within 4 weeks, however it was our choice not to keep the child.

With my husband we had sex for over a year (time we've been married) without contraception but he used the pull out method always per my request. This past May he wanted to have a baby so I gave him the go ahead a few times but I was hesitant and undecided about the matter so it was infrequent but I must have become pregnant mid June judging by my due date. I was 24, now 25. I was maybe 80% paleo, no longer bulimic for over a year, occasional oatmeal after a workout or such. When we went to Miami in May I'm a sucker for Jamaican food so along with my fatty amazing oxtail and curry goat binges I'd eat "rice and peas" (rice and beans). And than I'd have cheats like ice cream or chocolate and I did eat dairy but I was relatively good about my diet and I've always worked out cross fit style with heavy weights and minimal cardio.. I'm now 39 weeks pregnant lifted till 2 weeks ago, its been an easy (physically however not all around due to husband and I separating) pregnancy and anxious to see my semi paleo baby :) Good luck to you!!

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It only took us 3 months .

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I'm 23 and my boyfriend and I have been together for almost 5 years. Honestly, for pretty much all of those years we never used protection. We were just stupid, really. That and when I was a teenager an ob/gyn told me I'd have a lot of trouble conceiving due to endometriosis.

I've been paleo now for 1.5 of those years, and we FINALLY got pregnant in November. I'm currently 20 weeks along. So I guess you could say it took a year and a half-ish of paleo to get pregnant, and who knows if we would have eventually conceived if I continued to eat SAD.

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