title: Dietary patterns and difficulty conceiving: a nested case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate potential associations between dietary patterns (defined using factor analysis) and difficulty conceiving.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study nested in a Spanish cohort of university graduates (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra [SUN] Project).
  
  
  METHODS
  Female university graduates all over Spain participating in the SUN Project.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 485 women, aged 20-45 years, reporting having presented with difficulty getting pregnant, and 1,669 age-matched controls who had at least one child.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reported difficulty getting pregnant. Data were collected from baseline and follow-up questionnaires of the SUN Project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two dietary patterns were identified. They were labeled as "Mediterranean-type" and "Western-type" patterns. A lower risk of difficulty getting pregnant was apparent in the highest quartile of adherence to the Mediterranean-type pattern compared with the lowest quartile (odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.95). Greater adherence to the Western-type dietary pattern showed no association with this outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A greater adherence to the Mediterranean-type dietary pattern may enhance fertility. Further evidence about the relationship between this dietary pattern and fertility is needed to develop nutritional interventions for women desiring to get pregnant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. etoledo@unav.es
authors.forename: Estefania
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lopez-del Burgo
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Zambrana
authors.forename: Mikel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donazar
authors.forename: Iñigo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Navarro-Blasco
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez-González
authors.forename: Jokin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Irala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult