US fertility start-up announces behavioural intervention programme

The New York-based start-up Doveras Fertility has announced a digital programme focused on behavioural interventions to improve outcomes and reduce time to pregnancy.

The Pre-Pregnancy Clean Up programme aims to help close the gap between clinical research and real-world reproductive health outcomes.

The developers say the new product is a proprietary database that synthesises findings from multiple clinical studies on the impacts of various lifestyle factors during the pre-pregnancy period.

The Pre-Pregnancy Clean Up features two programme options, a fertility health assessment, lifestyle recommendations, a digital content curriculum and a resource library.

“Fertility has been shrouded in mystery — and framed as only a women’s issue — for too long,” said Doveras CEO and founder Nara Lee.

“And yet, the science is clear: whether you have eggs or sperm, there are things you can do from a lifestyle perspective before you conceive to meaningfully improve not just your fertility potential, but also your reproductive outcomes.”

Dr Peter Schlegel, Professor of urology and reproductive medicine at Cornell Weill and former president of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, said: “Alongside their medical treatment plan, nearly every patient I see asks what lifestyle modifications they can make to support their fertility and reproductive outcomes.

“Doveras answers this question with trustworthy, personalised, and clinically-backed guidance.”

Dr Jorge Chavarro, Professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and member of Doveras’ advisory board, added: “Sometimes getting pregnant seems like an act of faith, especially since there are a lot of factors you do not have control over.

“One thing you do have control over is your lifestyle. Few people realise, but what there is increasing scientific evidence for, is that what you do during pre-pregnancy can impact your fertility and other reproductive outcomes beyond that.

“It’s this critical period that Doveras’ work is focused on.”