You want to give your body the best odds at getting pregnant through IVF. Hence, it is vital to assess your lifestyle and make appropriate changes. Many ways could boost your chances of successful IVF, such as your exercise, diet, stress levels, sex life, etc.
The Ideal IVF Diet
Many fertility experts advise not making any extreme modifications to your diet across the IVF fertility cycle. Nevertheless, before starting IVF, you have to make sure you’re eating a healthy and balanced diet — one where you’re getting various minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. That’s called the period of preconception.
Nutrition After Your Embryo Transfer
During the post embryo transfer, it is best to eat various healthy foods, with no restrictions. That could keep supplying the body with its required nutrients to have a successful pregnancy. Nonetheless, it’s also advised to limit pre-packaged and processed food products that might disrupt natural functions and processes within your body.
Exercise During Your IVF Cycle
In general, it is recommended to relax during the IVF procedure to lessen too much stress on your body (which could negatively impact the odds of success). Nevertheless, that does not indicate that you should not do any exercise.
Nonetheless, many IVF specialists do not recommend running over 20 km every week. Running, particularly, could be extremely stressful on your reproductive system and your body. As such, it might be best to limit doing this activity during the IVF procedure. For those runners who are very committed, try having light walks, jogs, or cycling instead.
It is also not advisable to have any intense activities, like jumping activities, plyometrics, or High-Intensity Intervals (HIT). Again, these could increase the cortisol levels, which could lessen your chances of success.
If you want to increase your routine with a gentler exercise, do yoga. A light yoga session with stretches, like Seated Forward Bend and Child’s Pose could allow you to calm down and keep moving. Search restorative yoga classes in your area. Moreover, it might be best to talk over your options with your fertility team or doctor. They could tell you what best suits your unique situation.
Sex During IVF Treatment
During your IVF, it is advised that your male partner abstains from having ejaculation 3 to 4 days prior to the collection of sperm. That indicates not doing sex or having manual stimulation. It is also a great idea to have no sexual activities that’ll aggravate your cervix, like deep penetration. Aside from that, sex is completely fine one day post embryo transfer.
Recent researches show there’s no difference between partners that had sex after having embryo transfer vs those who did not. However, it is fine to wish to abstain from intercourse if you feel bloated or uncomfortable after your treatment. In general, if you feel okay with having sex, it is fine to do so.
Supplements to Take for IVF
There are numerous affordable alternatives for supplements that could help assist a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins might be a good option, which could be taken thirty days prior to an IVF fertility cycle. That’ll help heighten the folic acid, which allows the proper growth of your baby’s nervous system and spine.
If you have discovered via testing that you have low vitamin D levels, it might be best to also intake a supplement of vitamin D.
Prior to putting any supplement to your diet, discuss your options with your fertility team or doctor. They could help you identify which options best suit you and your certain health situation.
Fertility Massage During IVF
While infertility could cause stress on both parties, finding methods or techniques could significantly improve your odds of success. Decreasing stress levels stimulates optimal environment and health for successful pregnancy.
Lessening stress involves taking care of yourself. Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, and eating a balanced and proper diet. Ensure you’ve got a support system and you still socialize and get out across the process. A fertility massage during your IVF treatment is also totally safe, offering stress relief and relaxation.