When to Start Taking a Prenatal Before Pregnancy
Most people do not think seriously about supplements until they are already trying to conceive. By then, many are surprised to learn that fertility support works best when it starts well before pregnancy.
Here is something I explain to my patients that often changes how they think about timing. Eggs develop over approximately 90 to 100 days before ovulation, and sperm develop over about 70 to 90 days. That means the choices you make today are directly influencing your fertility potential several months from now.
This is exactly why I typically recommend starting a prenatal at least three months before trying to conceive.
A prenatal is not just for pregnancy. It helps build the foundation for hormone production, implantation, and early fetal development before pregnancy even occurs. Starting early gives your body the nutritional runway it needs.
When I work with patients on prenatal selection, I generally want to see:
- Methylated folate, not folic acid, because many women have difficulty converting synthetic folate
- Choline, which is critically important for fetal brain development and often left out of standard prenatals
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Iodine
- Iron when appropriate, because not every woman needs iron supplementation and more is not always better
When to Add Fertility Supplements Beyond a Prenatal
For some patients, a prenatal alone is not enough. And I say that not to overwhelm anyone, but because I believe every woman deserves a plan that is actually matched to her situation.
Additional support may be particularly helpful if you:
- Are over 35
- Have low AMH or diminished ovarian reserve
- Have PCOS or endometriosis
- Have experienced recurrent miscarriage
- Are preparing for IVF
- Have male factor fertility concerns
- Are dealing with unexplained infertility
For women in these categories, nutrients such as CoQ10, PQQ, NAC, NMN, alpha-lipoic acid, magnesium, and inositol can make a meaningful difference in egg quality and mitochondrial function. For men, CoQ10, L-carnitine, zinc, selenium, NAC, and targeted antioxidants are worth serious consideration for sperm health.
How Long Fertility Supplements Take to Work
Fertility supplements are not an overnight fix. I want to be honest with my patients about this, because false expectations lead to people stopping too early and missing the window where the real benefit happens.
Because eggs and sperm take time to mature, most people need at least three months of consistent supplementation before seeing meaningful changes. This is not a product problem. It is biology.
That timeline is one of the reasons Rejoova formulas were created. Rejoova Eggs, Rejoova Sperm, and Rejoova Repair were designed to address mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, inflammation, hormone balance, egg quality, and sperm health in a comprehensive and coordinated way, not as isolated ingredients thrown together.
The earlier you start, the more time you give your body to respond. In my experience, the patients who give themselves that runway consistently see better outcomes, whether they are trying naturally or moving toward IVF.
Dr. Zaher Merhi is a Co-Founder of Rejoova and the founder of Rejuvenating Fertility Center, with locations in Manhattan, Connecticut, Long Island, Westchester, and Brooklyn. He specializes in less-invasive IVF, ovarian rejuvenation, and personalized fertility care for women of all ages.