Gut health and fertility: understanding your microbiome before pregnancy

Looking after my gut health was one of the very first things I did when preparing to conceive our first daughter.

For years, I had experienced digestive issues that I assumed were normal. And while they may have been common, I eventually realised they were also signs that my gut, and perhaps my nervous system, needed a little more care and attention.

As I began changing my diet, slowing down and learning to listen to my body, I noticed remarkable improvements — not only in my digestion, but also in how I felt hormonally and overall. It was one of my earliest lessons in how interconnected our bodies really are.

What fascinated me even more was discovering that our gut microbiome may play a role not only in our own health and fertility, but also in the earliest stages of our future baby's development. And that's one of the many reasons why the months before pregnancy can be such a valuable time to nourish ourselves.

1. Your gut is more than a digestive system

Our gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, that form what we call the gut microbiome. Think of it as a living ecosystem. When we nourish it well, it helps us digest food, produce certain beneficial compounds and support our immune system.

Some gut bacteria, for example, feed on fibres from vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. In return, they produce substances that help nourish our intestinal lining and support normal immune function.

Our gut also communicates constantly with our brain through what's known as the gut–brain axis. Have you ever noticed how stress affects your digestion, or how digestive discomfort influences your mood? That's one everyday example of how closely these systems are connected.

Caring for your gut is therefore about much more than digestion. It's part of caring for your whole body.

2. What does your gut have to do with fertility?

This is where things become particularly interesting. Our gut microbiome interacts with our immune system, metabolism and the way our bodies process certain hormones. Some gut bacteria, for example, are involved in oestrogen metabolism, helping influence how these hormones are processed and recycled.

Researchers are also finding connections between gut microbial patterns and conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. While this research is still developing, and improving gut health doesn't automatically mean improving fertility, it highlights how closely connected our body's different systems can be.

For me, experiencing improvements in digestion alongside a greater sense of hormonal balance made this connection particularly meaningful. It reminded me that symptoms we learn to live with aren't necessarily something we have to ignore.

3. Your microbiome may also matter for your future baby

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of gut health is its potential influence on the next generation. During pregnancy, the mother's microbiome interacts with her metabolism and immune system. Researchers are exploring how substances produced by gut bacteria may influence the environment in which the baby develops.

Although a healthy womb isn't thought to contain its own stable microbiome, the mother's microbial ecosystem may still influence aspects of fetal development. Then, during birth and the first months of life, the baby begins developing its own microbiome, acquiring microorganisms from the mother and surrounding environment.

Breast milk also plays a remarkable role, providing compounds that help nourish certain beneficial bacteria in the baby's developing gut. It's a beautiful reminder of how closely connected mother and child are, even at a microbial level. And while we can't control or predict our baby's microbiome, caring for our own health is a meaningful place to begin.

4. Why start before pregnancy?

Pregnancy brings considerable changes to our bodies, including our hormones, digestion, metabolism and immune system. That's why we see preconception as a wonderful opportunity to establish nourishing habits before these changes begin.

If you'd like to improve your digestion, experiment with different foods or introduce more fibre, doing so beforehand gives you time to find what genuinely works for your body. You can make changes gradually, without the added demands or possible nausea and food aversions of early pregnancy.

It's not about achieving the perfect gut microbiome before conception. It's about building a healthy foundation that can support you throughout pregnancy and beyond.

5. How can you nourish your microbiome?

The good news is that supporting your gut doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Start with real, nourishing food and a little more variety.

• Enjoy a diversity of plant foods. Vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts and seeds provide different fibres and compounds that nourish our gut microbes.
• Include prebiotic-rich foods. Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus and slightly green bananas contain fibres that certain beneficial bacteria love.
• Explore fermented foods. Sauerkraut, kimchi, yoghurt and kefir can be wonderful additions if you enjoy and tolerate them. Choose pregnancy-safe options when pregnant.
• Don't forget nutrient density. Eggs, fish, meat and other nourishing foods provide essential nutrients that complement a varied diet.
• Slow down and enjoy your meals. Digestion and the nervous system are closely connected. Creating a calm, enjoyable eating environment can make a difference to how we experience our meals.

And remember that more isn't always better. If you're not used to eating much fibre, increase it gradually and pay attention to how your body responds.

Something to try: Choose two or three new foods to introduce this week. Perhaps a seasonal vegetable, a handful of Swedish blueberries or a spoonful of fermented sauerkraut alongside dinner. Think of it as discovering new flavours rather than following another set of nutritional rules.

6. What about probiotics?

Probiotics can be valuable allies in supporting gut health, but we believe the foundation always starts with food. You cannot out-supplement a poor diet. Think of your gut as a garden: before introducing new seeds, you want to create an environment where they can thrive.

That said, there is a time and place for quality probiotics. Certain strains can be particularly helpful in specific situations, such as preventing some forms of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea or addressing certain digestive issues. Nourish your microbiome first, and supplement thoughtfully when needed.

A foundation worth nurturing

One of the things I appreciate most about my own preconception journey is how much I learned about my body along the way. Addressing my digestive health wasn't simply about preparing for pregnancy. It helped me feel better, understand my body's signals and develop habits that continued to serve me afterwards.

And that's really what conscious preconception is about. Not controlling every biological process or chasing an ideal of perfect health, but creating space to understand and nourish ourselves more deeply. Because caring for the life we hope to create begins with caring for the life we're living now.

This philosophy is at the heart of the Storka Preconception Wellness Programme, where we explore gut health alongside nutrition, stress, sleep and the many interconnected aspects of preparing for pregnancy.