Genetic and Epigenetic Testing in Fertility

When you’re trying for a baby, you’ll often hear about the importance of age, hormone balance, egg and sperm quality, and a healthy lifestyle. But two topics that are gaining real attention in reproductive health are genetic and epigenetic testing. These tests can offer fascinating insights into your fertility and your future baby’s health. Here’s everything you need to know and how your lifestyle and supplements can play a powerful role in supporting you along the way.

What is Genetic Testing in Fertility?

Genetic testing looks at your DNA – the blueprint you were born with – to find changes or variations that might affect fertility or the health of your baby. This might sound very technical, but in simple terms, it helps identify inherited conditions or chromosomal issues that could influence conception or pregnancy.

Some of the most common genetic tests in fertility include:

• Carrier screening – this checks whether you or your partner carry certain inherited conditions, even if you have no symptoms yourself.
• Chromosomal testing – for men with very low sperm counts or no sperm at all, this can reveal issues like Y-chromosome microdeletions.
• Embryo testing (PGT) – in IVF, embryos can be tested before transfer to check for chromosomal or single-gene abnormalities.

Genetic testing can help explain unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriage, or family history of genetic conditions. It also allows couples to make informed decisions about their fertility journey.

However, it’s worth remembering that genetic testing doesn’t tell you everything about your fertility. Many fertility challenges are influenced by a mix of factors – genetic, environmental and lifestyle. Even with completely normal results, it’s still possible to face fertility struggles, which is why lifestyle and nutrition remain so important.

What is Epigenetic Testing in Fertility?

Epigenetics is a newer and very exciting area of fertility science. It looks not at the genes themselves, but at how those genes are expressed – essentially, whether they’re switched on or off. Unlike your DNA sequence, which is fixed, epigenetic patterns can change throughout life depending on factors such as diet, stress, sleep, toxins, and overall health.

In fertility, epigenetic factors can influence how eggs and sperm develop, how embryos implant, and even how the placenta forms. For example, research shows that changes in sperm DNA methylation patterns (an epigenetic marker) may affect sperm quality and fertility outcomes. Similarly, stress, poor nutrition, or exposure to environmental toxins can all leave “epigenetic fingerprints” that may reduce fertility potential.

Epigenetic testing itself is still relatively new and not yet standard practice in fertility clinics. However, it offers valuable insight into how our daily choices and environment might be shaping reproductive health.

How Genetic and Epigenetic Factors Work Together

Genetic testing tells you what you were born with – the fixed DNA sequence you inherited. Epigenetic testing gives clues about how your environment and lifestyle are influencing that genetic material.

While you can’t change your genes, you can influence your epigenetics through the choices you make every day. This is why a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, stress management, and targeted fertility supplements can make a real difference.

Turning Test Results into Action

When you’re preparing to conceive, genetic or epigenetic testing can give you useful insights into what’s happening beneath the surface. But what matters most is what you do with that information. Your test results can help you focus on the areas you can actively improve – the parts of fertility that are modifiable and within your control.

Here’s how to put that knowledge into action:

Nutrition

If your test results highlight certain nutrient deficiencies or genetic variants that affect how your body processes vitamins (for example, a folate gene variant), you can tailor your diet and supplements accordingly. Eating a nutrient-dense diet rich in whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and colourful vegetables will support hormone balance and egg and sperm health. Key nutrients such as methyl-folate, vitamins B6 and B12, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids all play vital roles in supporting fertility at a genetic and epigenetic level.

Antioxidants such as CoQ10, vitamin C and vitamin E can also be helpful, especially if your results suggest higher oxidative stress or reduced cellular protection. These nutrients help defend reproductive cells from DNA damage and may support better embryo quality.

Lifestyle

Epigenetic testing might indicate markers of stress, inflammation or environmental toxin exposure. These are all areas that can be improved through lifestyle choices. Regular movement, quality sleep, and stress-reducing practices such as yoga, meditation or mindful breathing can positively influence gene expression and hormone regulation. Avoiding smoking, minimising alcohol and reducing exposure to pollutants or endocrine disruptors are all powerful ways to support healthy fertility epigenetics.

The Pre-conception Window

Regardless of what your test results show, allowing time to make positive changes is crucial. Egg and sperm development take several months, so aim to start your pre-conception plan at least three to four months before trying to conceive. Both partners should take part, since male sperm quality and epigenetic health are just as important as female reproductive health.

Supplements to Support Test-Based Insights

Once you understand your genetic and epigenetic profile, supplements can help address specific needs or support overall fertility health.

For example, if your genetic testing highlights folate metabolism issues, look for active methyl-folate rather than synthetic folic acid. If oxidative stress markers are raised, choose supplements with antioxidants such as CoQ10, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Zita West supplements are a great example of targeted, high-quality formulations designed with these needs in mind:

• Vitafem – a comprehensive female fertility multivitamin including methyl-folate, B-vitamins, zinc, selenium, and CoQ10 to support reproductive health and egg quality.
• Vitamen – created for men to help improve sperm health, motility, and DNA integrity, with nutrients like selenium, zinc, and antioxidants.
• Vital DHA – provides essential omega-3 fatty acids, supporting both sperm and egg cell membranes and reducing inflammation.

If your testing reveals specific vulnerabilities or lifestyle factors that need extra support, these supplements can complement your broader fertility plan and help optimise results over time.

The Bigger Picture

Genetic and epigenetic testing can offer helpful insights, but they are only part of the fertility picture. True fertility health comes from understanding both your biological foundations and the everyday choices that influence them.

By combining medical insights with a proactive, nutrient-rich lifestyle, supported by carefully chosen fertility supplements like those from Zita West, you can give yourself the best possible chance of conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Always speak to your doctor or fertility specialist before starting any new supplements or treatments. Everyone’s fertility journey is different, and professional guidance ensures your approach is safe, personalised and effective.

Fertility isn’t just about the numbers or the tests; it’s about nurturing your body, mind and future. Genetic testing can show what you were born with, while epigenetic testing reminds you that lifestyle and nutrition really do matter. The good news is that many of these factors are within your control.

References

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9. World Health Organization (WHO). WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. 6th Edition, 2021.