IVF success rates vary depending on many different factors including age, cause of infertility and the clinic where you are having the procedure done. In 2009 the IVF success stats were around 30% average. Numbers can go up to 39% for women under 35, with even some clinics higher than this.
In order to prepare before for your IVF procedure, you should plan and prepare ahead of time. A general IVF cycle is around 6 weeks from beginning of medications and ultrasounds to the embryo(s) being transferred, so plan accordingly. If you choose to use any herbs or supplements to enhance egg quality, it is ideal to use them for at least 3 months prior to beginning any part your IVF cycle. Herbs and most supplements should not be used while you are on your IVF cycle as we do not know how they will interact with the medications. Please talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this.
Another reason we suggest to take at least 3 months to prepare beforehand is because the cycle of the egg is 90 days. This is the period of time during the eggs journey when what you eat, drink, ingest, breathe, your stress levels, and the health of your blood flow will all have an effect on the health of that egg. So what you eat today is impacting the egg you will ovulate or have “harvested” three months from now. So for best results prepare at least 90 days prior to enhance your egg quality. This process is called Folliculargenesis.
Think of this time as “preparing the soil of your garden”. By preparing for your IVF you are able to support your hormonal and reproductive system, nourish your body, have nutrients available during the crucial early stages of fetal development and have the tools to handle any stress that may come your way during this journey. When you are starting a garden… you begin by preparing the soil before the seeds are planted. Think of your body and uterus as that soil, you want a nutrient rich, hydrated, soil that has everything that little seed will need to grow. Below are some areas you want to address prior to IVF and during any fertility process, both Natural and Assisted!
Bring Nourishment to Your Body for Optimal Nutrition
Eating a Fertility Diet
Nutrition is the foundation of a healthy life and body, fertility and a healthy pregnancy are no different. Nutrition can have a big impact on the future success of your IVF cycle and your ability to maintain a healthy pregnancy. This is the best time to handle your diet, before your cycle, so the nutrients are already present in your body with the cells to use. These cells will become the embryo you so desire.
Learn how to eat a healthy whole food fertility diet! Harvard performed a recent study that showed an 80% decrease in infertility with the lifestyle changes made by switching to a fertility diet. Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to a paper published in the Nov. 1 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Eating a wide variety of whole foods is vital to a healthy menstrual cycle. The body relies on the foods we consume daily to function at its best.
Make sure you are eating a fertility diet for at least 2-3 months before your IVF cycle. To find out more about what diet is best you can download our Ebook. This Ebook goes over diet and mind body techniques that will assist you in creating a healthy environment and managing your stress levels.
Nurture Your Body Mind and Spirit
The IVF journey can be a long and stressful one. The emotional rollercoaster and frequent appointments to your REI, acupuncturist, nutritionist, etc … can be challenging on multiple levels. It is important to manage your stress levels and this can be done using tools such as visualization, acupuncture, meditation or hypnosis.
Mind Body Medicine and IVF
A study in Fertility and Sterility found a dramatic increase in IVF success rates for those who participated in a Mind Body program prior and during their IVF procedure. The study consisted of 143 women under 40 years of age undergoing IVF. Subjects were randomly put into either a mind/body program, which consisted of 10 sessions, or into a control group for two IVF cycles. First cycle results for all subjects was 43%. Those that had finished at least half of their mind body session prior to their 2nd IVF cycle had a 52% success rate of pregnancy while the control group had 20% success rate of pregnancy. (Fertility & Sterility June 1, 2011)
The Secret to Conception Ebook, Primer and Meditation MP3
This ebook and workbook help explain the basics about what each technique does, how to assess your current stress levels and the meditations that would be best for you. To find out more about it you can email us to ana@reproductivewellness.z3dev.com. It will be available on Amazon very soon.
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