Millions of couples seek IVF treatment every year, but many don’t realize how much of an impact their overall lifestyle can have on their IVF treatment. In fact, many people believe you can’t improve the odds of success at all, but there are several things you can do to increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Here are 3 of the most important things you can do to improve your odds:
1. Get your health checked out before you go in
Your IVF doctor will do an ultrasound to check for scarring and some other tests to ensure that you can be given IVF treatment, but there are many health issues outside of the reproductive system itself that can cause infertility. Some health problems can also cause issues during the actual pregnancy.
Before you go anywhere near an IVF doctor, get a complete physical done, including blood tests. Ask your doctor to focus on anything that could damage your success with IVF. If there are treatable problems, seek treatment for those before going to an IVF clinic.
Of course, once you get to the IVF doctor, you’ll have to do another run of tests, this one focused specifically on your reproductive system. You should also bring your spouse in to get their sperm checked by the IVF doctor, who will know the specific requirements for a successful IVF treatment.
2. Cut harmful substances out of your life
The number of chemicals pregnant women should avoid seems to grow exponentially every day, and it’s impossible to keep up with, but there are definitely things you should be avoiding in the weeks leading up to your IVF treatment. These substances not only reduce your chances of IVF success, they can also harm the baby when you do get pregnant.
For the most part the list of things to avoid is pretty obvious: alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs. But there are several other things you should also be avoiding or at least minimizing, including caffeine. You may also need to stop taking certain medications, though you should always speak to your doctor before changing or stopping medication.
It should be noted that many of these substances can remain in the body and cause fertility issues for 2-3 months. Cut everything out of your diet at least 90 days before you seek IVF treatment.
3. Eat a fertility diet
What you’re eating has a much bigger impact on your fertility—and your ability to carry a pregnancy to term—than you might imagine. If you want a successful IVF treatment that leads to an even more successful pregnancy, you need to pay attention to what you’re eating.
People are unique, so there’s no one-size-fits-all fertility diet, but there are some rules you can follow to increase your chances of success with IVF. Eat a lot of organic fruits and vegetables. Choose whole fat, grass-fed, raw dairy products. Eat extra fiber with every meal.
As with the substances you need to cut out of your life, the food you’re eating now can impact the health of your sperm or eggs for up to three months. Start your fertility diet a full 90 days before your first IVF treatment to increase your chances of success.
It’s easy to slip into neglecting or even outright hating your body when you’re struggling with infertility issues, but mistreatment will only make the infertility worse. You can dramatically increase your chances of successful IVF treatment by simply being kind to your body.