IVF/IUI Preparation:
Begin Your Journey with
Clarity & Ease

Our top recommendations for those looking to conceive

Acupuncture

Regular acupuncture (once per week) for 12 weeks can optimize your results and create a great foundation to encourage a healthy pregnancy as you move forward. If you do not have the benefit of a full 12 weeks prior to your ART cycle, you can still begin at any point!

We work with most couples for 3-9 months on average. We also suggest patients continue weekly acupuncture through their first trimester to encourage a healthy start to pregnancy and prevent miscarriage. Our goal is to improve hormonal balance by using acupuncture to improve blood flow to the ovaries, uterus, which can improve egg health, improve hormonal balance, help manage stress, and prepare your body for optimal conception. We can also offer partner support, improving blood flow to the pelvis and testicles for improvement in sperm health parameters.

Supplements

• Prenatal vitamin: We always recommend selecting a high quality prenatal containing folate (info on why to avoid folic acid). We carry the Thorne Basic Prenatal and Klaire Labs Prenatal/Nursing Formula. Both are available for sale at the office or online via Fullscript™.
  
  Another great option is Theralogix TheraNatal Core, with separate formulations for each trimester of pregnancy (please feel free to use our clinic’s discount code of 153207 if interested in purchasing online.)
  
  A high quality supplement will help your body cope with the demands of IUI/IVF/FET treatments. These include Vitamin C and E, which enrich the fluid surrounding and nourishing your eggs. Zinc is essential for hormone
  production, while magnesium and Vitamin A are known to aid egg production. Selenium and magnesium have been shown to improve fertilization rates. Iron and Co-enzyme Q10 help to enrich the womb lining. Vitamins C, E and zinc also help you to repair quickly after an egg retrieval (in the case of IVF) in preparation to receive the incoming embryo, and B-complex will help your body cope with the additional stress of the ART process.  

• Individual supplement recommendations and dosages will have been provided in your individual Blueprint Summary.

• Supplements are also vital for semen quality. According to Dr. Paul Turek, “Clinical trials in which patients were given antioxidants or placebo and their respective partners’ pregnancy outcomes were examined. The Cochrane group summarized these trials (61 trials, 6,264 participants) in 3 separate meta-analyses over the last decade, and their findings have changed my view of things. Briefly, among antioxidant users the rate of live births was twice as high and the rate of clinical pregnancies was three times as high. There was also the suggestion that both sperm concentration and motility improved in antioxidant users.” We have the most experience with FH Pro, a standalone product which eliminates the need to purchase multiple separate and contains clinical-grade ingredients.

• Wondering how to choose between supplements with an endless stream of options? Quick tips are available here for choosing a safe, effective and quality product.

• Note: We do not recommend purchasing from big box stores and Amazon in general, due to safety/authenticity concerns. Please see this excellent overview for more information.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbs are typically contraindicated with use of fertility medications, but we do frequently recommend formulas during downtime between active treatment cycles, and in the preparation phases leading into an upcoming cycle. If herbs were recommended during your consultation, this will also have been noted in your Blueprint Summary. (For more info, here’s a link to a podcast featuring one of our ABORM fellows as she discusses Chinese herbs with reproductive endocrinologists.)

Nutrition

The good news: food choices are one of the fastest and easiest ways to positively impact reproductive function! Daily nutrition forms a consistent foundation to fuel egg and sperm health, hormonal balance and establish the body’s nutrient reserves for the demands of pregnancy.

Recently there has been more discussion on the potential benefits of a Mediterranean-style diet for those undergoing Western fertility treatment. As many fertility-friendly foods already fall into this category, we recommend eating from a wide variety of whole grains, fresh fruits/vegetables, oily fish and seeds/nuts as preparation for healthy conception. Eliminating the biggest dietary triggers of inflammation is also recommended — this includes gluten, dairy and excess sugar. Sugar consumption can compromise ovarian function, cervical mucus, and vaginal pH levels, and reduce sperm motility.

IVF research also continues to identify just how important it is that embryos are not exposed to toxic chemicals at any level of development. Therefore, avoiding pesticides, chemicals and fumes appears to have a rather sound basis. Regardless of the intended route to conception (IVF, IUI, non-medicated cycle, etc.), we still like to use this example to highlight the importance of clean eating for everyone who is looking to conceive. Be sure to opt for fresh, whole foods that are pesticide- and hormone-free including: vegetables, fruits, dairy (if consumed) and meats/eggs. (More info on glyphosate and fertility/pregnancy.)

Research has shown that within just seven days of eating mostly organic, urinary pesticide levels are reduced by almost 90%.

Resource: How Digestion Impacts Fertility

Protein

Too little protein in your diet can result in reduced quality of the uterine lining and eggs. Make sure you have an adequate daily supply of iron-rich and blood-nourishing foods containing protein (at least 100 mg, according to recent research).

When eating meat, remember to eat lean and organic sources only. Non-animal protein can include blood building foods such as rice, oats, lentils, and other types of beans.

You should also emphasize green leafy vegetables, legumes, cabbage, mushrooms, celery, nuts and seeds. The best quality protein foods in terms of amino acid balance are pastured eggs, meat, fish, beans, lentils, and quinoa. Avoid consuming too many dairy products and always eat organic meat. Good (healthy) fats such as avocado, nuts and coconut oil are also easy to add in daily.

Hydration — Emphasize room temperature, filtered water; drink to your body’s level of thirst.

Our daily fluid intake is especially important while TTC and during pregnancy — every system in the body depends on it. Water is responsible for nourishing fluid around the eggs within your follicles, the fluid in the fallopian tubes and the fluid levels in the endometrium as it prepares for implantation and pregnancy. Adequate hydration aids in nourishing the sperm and ensuring optimal moisture levels throughout the body, including overall seminal fluid volume. (Remember to avoid beverage containers that contain BPA, as this is a known toxin.)

While we speak at length on the importance of blood circulation for fertility, daily hydration levels play a big part in the quality of blood flow. When the body is in a relatively dehydrated state, the blood becomes thicker and circulation in the far reaches of the tiniest capillaries slows down. In Chinese medicine, stagnation of blood can create many different scenarios that inhibit fertility and continuation of early pregnancy.

Reduce or Eliminate Caffeine

Caffeine is known to dysregulate stress hormone (cortisol) levels by overworking the adrenal system, a system essential for hormone balance and healthy cycles.

Additionally, there is evidence that coffee drinking can increase miscarriage rates and have a negative effect on fetal growth during pregnancy. If you are looking to reduce caffeine consumption, please check out these coffee alternatives. Should you be still looking for a bit of an energy boost in the mornings, Rasa is an alternative that contains adaptogenic herbs but does not spike cortisol levels. (Sample packs of all Rasa flavors are available at the office, and most of us have a favorite recipe if you’re looking for ideas!)

Reduce or Eliminate Alcohol

Given the impacts on hormone levels, sleep, and micronutrient stores, we recommend avoiding alcohol as much as possible in the lead up to conception, and completely avoiding alcohol after ovulation. The most recent data continues to show benefit in avoiding alcohol in the lead up to, and during any active treatment cycles with fertility procedures. That’s not to say that mocktails haven’t come a long way, especially as non-alcoholic alternatives have recently flooded the market. Check out these recipes and the book Zero Proof for more inspiration.

Stress

Keeping the body’s stress levels (and fight-or-flight response) low favors conception. A study of patients undergoing fertility treatment showed that those who exhibited lower levels of measurable physiologic stress had a higher chance of success with their cycle. Specialists at Harvard Medical School have also pointed out that stress (along with depression) has been correlated with ovulation irregularities, while emotional stress can also be associated with abnormal sperm development. 

Regular (moderate!) exercise and acupuncture are useful strategies that can help a great deal to relieve stress and support healthy moods, along with some specific tips for the ART process in the sections below.

Movement

At Orchid, we have worked with a trainer who suggested the following method for women who may have adrenal fatigue &/or those trying to conceive. Her suggestion is to support adrenals when exercising by not working too intensely.

When she has a client who is under high stress or may be showing signs of any form of adrenal fatigue, she will have them exercise using a heart rate monitor and complete lower intensity workouts to bring cortisol levels back into the normal range. The method she uses was developed by Dr. Phil Maffetone:

Podcast episode: Breaking a Sweat — How Exercise Impacts Fertility; Fertility Docs Uncensored (IVF/FET specific info starts at the 14:00 mark)

Slower, deliberate forms of movement are not only beneficial, but also highly encouraged! The Restoring Fertility yoga series is available for purchase and home use. (My personal favorite is the IVF series from BettinaRae on YouTube. Her playlist is constantly growing.) Tai chi and qigong (pronounced chi-gung) exercises are another wonderful complement, as they work with the same meridians and systems used during your acupuncture sessions. Should you wish to try qigong, the Eight Pieces of Brocade exercises are good for full-spectrum balance and very easy to begin working with; Mimi Kuo-Deemer has a free version, or a more polished version that can be purchased here.

Emotional Wellness

• Find relaxation techniques that suit you and best fit into your life easily. Make sure to give yourself ease as you incorporate these new habits into your usual day or week.

• Mindset is possibly the most overlooked component of the journey to conception and parenthood, yet one of the most crucial. Mindset impacts everything from our daily quality of life, to our resiliency (how well we function under stress) and ability to create the lives we desire. Rosanne Austin is a fertility coach and author who was recently featured on the Egg Whisperer’s podcast episode, Becoming Fearlessly Fertile. It’s definitely worth a listen.

• You may also benefit in some guided relaxation, especially at the beginning or end of your day (such as at bedtime). Here is the link for the expectful program we use at the office, along with the Mindful IVF meditations.

• Feeling stuck? The Ferticalm Pro app was developed by two reproductive psychologists to provide real-time support for the most common scenarios you may encounter on your fertility journey, from relationship or issues, to fertility treatment, to social events like baby showers and holiday functions and beyond.

• Resources: How Sleep Impacts Fertility and How to Improve Yours, Why Nervous System Regulation Is Essential During Fertility Treatment

• The ART procedures, appointments, etc. can be demanding; do not underestimate this commitment on your time, your body and your energy reserves!  Plan ahead so that you have time to recover from each procedure, and make sure you have made the space in your life for the process to unfold, so that at the end of your cycle you do not have any regrets on what else "could" or "should" have been done.

• Positive Visualization is also useful. During each stage of treatment, visualize what is happening in your body — the follicles growing, the eggs maturing, the womb lining thickening, and the embryo implanting. 

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