Obesity & Metabolic Expert (SCOPE CERTIFIED) Lifestyle Consultant
Not being able to bear a child can make you feel powerless. Through tests and treatments, your body is manipulated and probed. Thanks to advanced reproductive science, your dream of becoming a parent or growing your family can come true. Even though technology is advanced, the most significant factor in fertility treatment is entirely dependent on you and your body or your partner and his body.
The complex process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to boost fertility or avoid genetic issues. IVF aids in child conception as well. IVF involves taking mature eggs out of the ovaries and fertilizing them in a laboratory with sperm. Then the fertilized egg or embryos are placed in the uterus. It takes about three weeks to complete one cycle of IVF. Occasionally, these steps are broken down into different phases. As a result, the process is substantially longer.
Therefore, you and your spouse have decided to try IVF with the help of your doctor.
These are a few measures you should take to make the journey to conception a little smoother and enhance your odds of success before you begin the treatment. Here are nine tried-and-tested actions you should take right away:
Obesity (BMI greater than 30) is just as harmful to your health as being underweight (BMI under 19). Additionally, both illnesses severely impair your ability to conceive, including with IVF. A malnourished woman can have trouble maintaining the proper hormone levels to generate mature, healthy, and viable eggs, and being overweight can make it harder for your fertility team to monitor your ovaries throughout IVF and aspirate your eggs.
If you fall into one of these categories, start changing your diet. Adhere to a diet and fitness regimen that you can maintain. Keep your focus on achieving a healthy pregnancy. Remember that a healthy you is the foundation for a healthy baby!
Without a doubt, your overall health has an impact on the success of your IVF. Do lots of heart-healthy exercises right away. The American Heart Association recommends exercising for at least 30 minutes daily and five days a week. Any physical activity that raises your heart rate should be encouraged. You’ll improve your chances of having a successful IVF procedure along with lowering your blood pressure, fighting diabetes, and a whole host of other health advantages.
Watch how much caffeine you consume each day. According to recent studies, drinking too much coffee can reduce your chance of getting pregnant through IVF by up to 50%. According to the studies, women should limit their daily caffeine intake to not more than three cups of coffee or the equivalent from other sources.
Cher’s lament “If I Could Turn Back Time” resonates strongly with women considering IVF. One of the most significant factors in IVF success is age. Successful IVF outcomes start to decline around the age of 35 for women, and they decline most dramatically after the age of 40. Don’t put off starting treatment for too long. Discuss options with your doctor, such as donor eggs, if you are worried about your age.
These days, our popular culture is rife with references to stress management techniques. When dealing with the stress associated with infertility and IVF treatment, it can seem like stress is just a part of your life. It can be hard to manage stress on a typical day.
Stress not only influences the outcome of IVF and conception, but it also harms your health. Dealing with this kind of stress is essential because of this. Integrating acupuncture, planned mind-body retreats, resilience training, and conventional treatment into your daily stress-relieving routines (yoga, massage, meditation, prayer, daily walks, journaling, etc.) will help you feel better. You’ll increase your chances of having a successful IVF procedure and learn techniques to cope with life’s unavoidable stresses.
Smoking tobacco and other substances can adversely impact the quality of eggs and sperm. If you smoke, you need to quit right now, as well as your spouse. Speak with your fertility team for advice about quitting smoking.
Assist your spouse with getting his swimmers ready for IVF. Consider using a male fertility supplement (Fertile Vitamin for Men) in addition to the dietary and exercise advice given above to improve general health and sperm production. Change from briefs to boxers and keep your BMI at its ideal level.
When trying to conceive, multivitamins are often recommended, but there are a few additional supplements that you should take. On egg quality, DHEA and CoQ10 seem to have an effect. However, as usual, consult your doctor before ingesting any supplements.
Be sure you consume adequate vitamin D. Make sure you are not lacking in vitamin D by having your doctor check your levels. According to statistics, getting enough vitamin D helps your body react favorably to IVF treatment.
IVF is an adventure. Sometimes it takes a while to arrive at the destination of a healthy pregnancy. Try to remain patient and stay on the course, no matter how challenging it appears to be. A few treatments are typically needed before a viable pregnancy develops. Knowing this in advance can help you prepare for the long journey ahead. Have faith in the process.
Dr Kalpana Jain has worked in this sector for more than ten years. Her patients are motivated to lead healthy lives both before and after menopause by her hard work and drive.