If you want to get pregnant, it’s time to have a good look at your diet. What you and your partner eat is said to have a big impact on how fertile you are, how healthy his sperm are and even down to what sex you conceive (but that’s another story).

After looking at the research that’s out there on food and fertility, here are some of the edibles you can’t afford to skip if you want to get pregnant.

1. Full fat dairy

A pinnacle US study out of Harvard has found that women who ate full-fat dairy foods, including ice cream, more than once per day had a 25% reduced risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to those who ate full-fat dairy foods only once a week.

Conversely the research also showed that women who ate more than two portions a day of low fat dairy foods a day were 85% more likely to be infertile from ovulatory disorders than those who only ate it less than once a week.

The researchers did advise, however, that once pregnant women returned to lower-fat dairy products to limit the intake of saturated fats.

2. Oysters (and other zinc-rich foods)

Oysters are said to be an aphrodisiac but maybe it’s because they’re so good at helping make babies. These sea molluscs are jam-packed with zinc, a mineral crucial for healthy sperm and egg development. If oysters aren’t your favourite, other zinc-rich foods are baked beans, eggs and nuts.

3. Garlic

This pungent bulb has a whole lot of baby-making properties for him and her – so the whole “garlic breath” thing won’t matter because you’ll both be eating it. The main fertility-enhancing mineral in garlic is selenium which helps maximise sperm development while also playing a role in preventing early miscarriage. Garlic also contains vitamin B6 which assists in regulating hormones and building the immune system.

4. Pineapple

This fruit is a rich source of manganese which plays a crucial role in triggering the production of reproductive hormones. Women with low levels of manganese have been found to have difficulty in conceiving.

5. Honey

This elixir of the bee has long been considered a fertility booster (along with a cure for all sorts of ailments). Honey is rich in minerals and amino acids and is said to improve the quality of semen and strengthen ovaries and uterus. Women are encouraged to mix a spoonful of honey with a pinch of ground cinnamon.