As multiple studies suggest that reproductive health is highly influenced by nutrition, FemTech World finds out how our diet can impact fertility.

In 2011 Deborah Brock and her husband started their fertility treatment. “Growing up in Ireland, nobody ever thought us how to get pregnant when the time came,” she remembers. “We were led to think that you would touch a guy and get pregnant. But we were thrown in this medical world without knowing anything.”

They decided to switch clinics and three ICSI – intracytoplasmic sperm injection – and frozen embryo transfers later, they had a baby. “We had a very long journey, but we were lucky to find some amazing doctors who treated us like patients first,” Deborah tells me. “They told us that we had to work together as a team, they looked at multiple aspects of our life and they helped us make some key nutritional and lifestyle changes from the very beginning.”

Deborah has a background in community and education and she worked with people from some of the most disadvantaged areas of Dublin. “Education was key,” she says. “But educating others was about educating myself in the first place. After my successful pregnancy, I thought there must be something that can make a difference [in people’s life] with slight changes that can have a great impact. So, I started researching and I realised that there is a connection between our gut microbiome and our reproductive health and I got in touch with the APC Microbiome research centre, here in Ireland.”

After three years of research, Deborah developed two fertility supplements – one for men and one for women – that focus on the microbiome to optimise fertility health.

The human microbiome consists of trillions of symbiotic microbial cells harboured by each person, primarily bacteria in the gut. There are roughly 40 trillion bacteria cells in the human body and the digestive tract is the place with the highest density of microorganisms. The gut bacteria are closely tied to our immune health and help us to digest food. However, they can be highly impacted by environmental factors and diet.

“An imbalance in the gut microbiome is connected with nearly 70 per cent of unexplained infertility,” Deborah explains. “It’s connected with PCOS, endometriosis and even with simply absorbing the nutrients that you need. If something’s out of balance, you’re not going to absorb what you’re taking in. That can be knocked out from a number of things such as antibiotics, contraceptive pills and lifestyle.

“So, when we launched Nua, we wanted to bring the amazing microbiome to the world and show what effect this can have on your reproductive health.”

The supplements contain five strains of live bacteria, vitamins, and minerals, as well as vitamin D which which helps the normal function of the immune system and Zinc which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. Although full of benefits, Deborah says that small lifestyle changes matter the most.

“There is no magic pill that exists in the world to have a baby. There is no magic doctor that exists to have a baby. But what you can do is get your body ready and prepared for a baby as best as you can,” she insists. “That’s why we want people to take control of their fertility health.

“What we’re trying to do this year is extend the website and have a digital side where people can log in and have the products as well as a programme [they can follow]. Because it’s about much more than taking a pill. You need to look at what you’re taking, eating and drinking and you need to look at the diversity of your gut microbiome.”

The programme her team are building has weekly webinars, tools and recipes that can help people map out their plan. “We try to get people to do what’s right for them. We did wellness and yoga in the past and we also partnered with Fertility Network UK. Charity is my background and it’s really important for us to work with people [from different backgrounds]. Accessibility isn’t there and we need to remember that not everybody has access to this.”

Her lived experience made her extremely passionate about fertility and it feels as if her aim is to support and educate people rather than just sell a product. “My husband and I weren’t really informed about the impact that nutrition could have on fertility,” she says. “When we were on that initial journey, many doctors we spoke to did not talk about nutrition and lifestyle at all. I think if you weren’t lucky enough to grow up and understand how to cook different foods, what variety of foods is out there and you didn’t have access to that information, it’s really hard to know how to eat properly.

“In the UK, one in seven couples are affected by infertility and with nutrition playing such an important role in our life, I think education is more needed than ever,” Deborah continues. “And it’s not just about educating people that we’re working with and our customers. It’s also about educating younger people so that, when the time comes, they know that they have to look at various different areas of their health first. The reason why I love the microbiome and gut bacteria is because once you change a few things in your everyday life, you can see those changes within a couple of days.”

Does she think that more people should receive emotional support? “Absolutely. The emotional journey that people go on is extremely important, but it can be very hard-hitting. Couples who might have just started their fertility journey and had a failed cycle, are then left on their own. We want to be there for them. Not just on the success points, but also when they don’t get pregnant and when they need the most support.”

The founder says that this year they want to expand their online community and raise funds. “We are on a funding round and we are open for anybody to talk to us.  I try to arm myself with people that I can truly learn from because we have big ambitions for the future.”

Before we wrap up our call, I ask Deborah what is the best part about her job. “When I get a 12-week scan or of new babies,” she laughs. “That’s what keeps me going in the business battle and what tells me that we’re doing something right. Hearing back from women who got pregnant naturally for the first time just by taking our supplements and making a few changes in their nutrition is extraordinary.”

She adds that: “The key is to treat people with respect. Meet them where they’re at, and really support and educate them. We’re very conscious about the world, the people, what we’re doing and our impact on them. I think if you have that, have integrity, and you’re honest in what you’re doing, then you can also have a thriving business.”

The Nua supplements are available in pharmacies in the UK and Ireland and online on nuafertility.com.