The first step you take in your journey to start IVF is always the most significant. You may find yourself at a point in time when all you want is to ensure that you come out of this with a successful pregnancy. While you cannot control everything about the IVF process, many small changes in everyday life can make a world of difference in the treatment. With that in mind, let’s break down the lifestyle changes that can genuinely make a difference to your IVF journey.
Diet and weight
What you eat and how much you weigh can play a surprisingly significant role in your fertility, and by extension, the success chances of an IVF. That being said, let’s dive a little deeper to understand what this means in practice.
Eat a balanced diet
For optimal fertility, the first thing you’ll need to focus on is getting a balanced diet rich in whole foods. Focus on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats every day. Foods rich in antioxidants can also do wonders here in protecting your eggs from any inflammatory damage.
While you’re at it, include plenty of folate-rich foods like spinach, lentils, and fortified cereals. Omega-3 fatty acids, mainly found in oily fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, will also be your best friends during this time. If you’d like to be very specific about what you eat, consider following the Mediterranean diet. With its emphasis on vegetables, fish, and healthy oils, it is often considered the best option for women preparing for IVF.
Maintain a healthy weight
Both being significantly overweight and underweight can be somewhat negative for your fertility outcomes through IVF. On the one hand, being overweight tends to affect our hormone levels and how the body responds to fertility drugs. On the other hand, being underweight can disrupt the menstrual cycle and ovulation. So if you want to maximise your chances, consider keeping your BMI within its healthy range – even modest weight changes of 5-10% can improve your chances of success. The goal here is simply to get your body to a place where it can handle the procedure with zero pressure.
Take supplements as advised
Before you begin with IVF, your fertility specialist will likely recommend a few sets of supplements for you to take. For instance, Folic Acid may be advised as it tends to reduce the risk of neural tube defects when trying to conceive. You may also be recommended vitamin D – especially if you’re deficient – considering that vitamin D and IVF success rates have a seemingly strong link with each other as shown in various studies. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is another supplement that some specialists recommend for egg quality. But while we’re on the note, do remember that what works for someone may not work for others. So, please make sure to check with your fertility clinic before starting any supplements, as these are usually tailor-made to your specific situation.
Avoid certain foods
While there’s no need to become overly restrictive, it’s worth limiting certain foods in the months leading up to an IVF. For starters, fish with high mercury levels, such as swordfish and king mackerel, should be avoided, as mercury is known to affect fertility and fetal development. Similarly, you should limit processed foods high in trans fats, as these are pretty infamous for reducing fertility in women. Unpasteurised dairy products and deli meats tend to carry a risk of listeria, so it’s best to avoid these as you prepare for pregnancy. Lastly, cut back on foods high in refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, as these can affect insulin levels and hormone balance.
Exercise and activity
Regular, moderate exercise is an excellent way to prepare your body for IVF. Not only does it help maintain a healthy weight, but it also reduces stress, improves circulation, and supports our body’s hormonal balance. Aim for around 150 minutes of moderate activity, consisting typically of brisk walking, swimming, cycling, or gentle yoga. Just avoid overdoing it, as intense exercise of any kind or marathon training can actually disrupt your hormonal balance and menstrual cycle. Listen to your body; if something feels too strenuous, it probably is, and you should take a break.
Lifestyle habits
Quit smoking
If you smoke, now is the time to stop. Without a shadow of a doubt, it is one of the most impactful things that you can do for your IVF chances. Here’s the problem: Smoking tends to damage your egg quality quite significantly, but worse yet, it also accelerates the depletion of your egg reserve and makes your ovaries less responsive to fertility medications. It also increases miscarriage risk, even when IVF is successful.
Quitting smoking doesn’t just apply to women, as smoking also reduces sperm quality and motility in men. No matter which fertility clinic you visit, the first thing you’ll be advised is to quit smoking at least three months before starting IVF. It may seem a bit difficult, but the positive impact that quitting this habit has on your chances makes it absolutely worth it.
Avoid alcohol
While the occasional glass of wine is unlikely to affect your IVF chances, heavy drinking absolutely should be avoided at all costs. The problem with alcohol is quite similar to smoking: it tends to affect your hormone levels, disrupts your menstrual cycle, and can interfere with embryo implantation. Then, as with smoking, excessive alcohol consumption affects men too, affecting their sperm quality and count. Due to this, most doctors recommend that both partners try cutting out alcohol entirely during IVF.
Limit caffeine
When it comes to coffee, you don’t need to give it up entirely. But at the same time, please keep your caffeine intake moderate before an IVF. The NHS recommends that you limit your caffeine intake to 200mg per day when trying to conceive. That’s roughly two cups of instant coffee or one cup of filter coffee every day. Do remember that caffeine does not come in coffee alone – you can also find it in tea, energy drinks, chocolate and some soft drinks, so consume things mindfully.
Manage stress
When going through continuous unsuccessful pregnancies and starting IVF, advice like “just relax” isn’t going to cut it. It’s a process that is inherently stressful and exhausting. Even so, chronic stress does affect your hormone balance and can interfere with reproductive processes. So do give techniques like mindfulness meditation, gentle yoga, and therapy a try. If that sounds overwhelming, just try to make time for activities you enjoy – that alone can do wonders for your mood. The key is to find what works for you and use it to keep your stress levels low during this period.
Prioritise sleep
Getting quality sleep every night is one of the best things you can do to maintain hormonal balance and your overall health. To this end, aim for at least seven to nine hours of rest per night and try to maintain consistent sleep and wake times. If you have trouble sleeping, begin by creating a sleep-friendly environment – keep your bedroom cool and dark, avoid screens before bed, and give some relaxation techniques a shot to doze off more easily. Remember: Your body does a lot of its repair and regeneration work while you sleep, so don’t underestimate how important this is.
Build a support network
While this next point doesn’t constitute a lifestyle change, having a strong support network to aid your emotional and mental health is super important when navigating IVF. Whether it’s your partner, close friends, family, or a support group – having people that understand what you’re going through and have your back at all times can make a world of difference. Of course, if that’s not possible, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional support too. Many fertility clinics offer counselling services, and speaking with someone who specialises in fertility issues, can provide invaluable support during this emotionally challenging time.
Taking control of your IVF journey
In the end, to prepare for an IVF is to make mindful and sustainable changes that give your body the best possible foundation for success. If you need help, be sure to work with your chosen fertility clinic in London, as they can provide personalised guidance tailored to your specific situation. They’ll be more than happy to help you understand which changes matter most and guide you to near-assured success. Just be patient and kind to yourself as you take things one step at a time, and remember that every positive change you make is a worthwhile investment in your fertility journey.
