Before anything, we created an IVF checklist with six complete steps that help you smoothly prepare for the IVF process without specific problems. However, don’t forget that this is general advice based on experience, and consulting with your doctors is more critical than anything.
IVF preparation is personal and can differ from one by one and case by case, so please remember that your doctor is your leading partner in getting a positive result from IVF.
Read more: How do you get pregnant through IVF?
IVF Preparation Checklist
To increase your chances of getting pregnant with IVF, it’s essential to prepare your body and mind.
Before beginning your IVF journey, we’ll need to do some testing to ensure you’re ready. This includes checking your ovarian reserve to see how many eggs you have and how healthy they are. We’ll do this by examining your FSH, AMH, and estrogen levels and doing an ultrasound to examine your ovaries.
Here’s a checklist of critical steps to take:
-
Your Partner’s Role
If you have a partner, they’ll need to have a semen analysis done to check the quality and quantity of their sperm. There are some things they can do to improve their sperm health, such as quitting smoking, avoiding certain chemicals and medications, and limiting their alcohol intake.
-
Screening for Infectious Diseases
We’ll also need to screen you, your partner, and any donors for infectious diseases that could affect your IVF treatment. This is just a precaution to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
-
Checking Your Uterus
Before we start IVF, we’ll need to take a look at the lining of your uterus to make sure it’s healthy. We can do this in one of two ways: by using a sonohysterography, which involves injecting fluid into your uterus and using ultrasound to create images, or by doing a hysteroscopy, which involves inserting a thin, lighted telescope into your uterus.
-
Vitamins and Medications
To prepare your body for IVF, we recommend taking vitamins and medications. These could include a prenatal vitamin, folic acid, vitamin D, birth control pills, or Lupron. We’ll also need to review your medications to ensure they won’t interfere with your treatment.
We don’t advise eating medicine without it proven by your doctors, even if it is a simple vitamin that you eat before deciding to have bay through IVF.
-
Lifestyle Changes
We recommend making lifestyle changes to give yourself the best chance of success with IVF. This includes eating a healthy, balanced diet, quitting smoking, limiting your alcohol intake, and avoiding recreational drugs. We also recommend regular exercise but avoid excessive or intense exercise. If you have a high BMI, we suggest losing weight before starting treatment.
Read more: IVF in Iran
-
Managing Stress
Going through IVF can be stressful, so you must have a sound support system in place. This could include your partner, friends, family, or a therapist who specializes in infertility. We also recommend finding healthy ways to manage your stress, such as meditation or yoga.
-
Change your eating habits:
Nutrition before, during, and even after IVF matters. Below, we mentioned some foods you should avoid during IVF and some foods you should eat.
To increase your chances of getting pregnant with IVF, you can see your food options in one of the popular Health magazines: Healthline
The food you should eat:
Focus on eating a Mediterranean-style diet with plenty of:
- Fruits and vegetables (5-9 servings per day)
- Whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice
- Lean protein from fish, poultry, legumes, and eggs
- Healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds
- Soy products like tofu and tempeh
Read more: What Should I Do for IVF Treatment in Iran?
IVF foods to avoid
- Alcohol
- Caffeine (limit to 200mg per day)
- Processed meats
- High mercury fish
- Unpasteurized foods
- Artificial sweeteners
We created a table below to check your IVF process and provide you with everything you need to increase your success rate.
IVF Preparation Checklist Quick Guide:
| Category | Task | Timeline |
| Medical Preparation | 1. Schedule a pre-IVF consultation with your doctor | 2-3 months before IVF cycle |
| 2. Complete all recommended medical tests (e.g., blood work, semen analysis) | 2-3 months before IVF cycle | |
| 3. Start taking prescribed medications (e.g., birth control pills, fertility medications) | As directed by your doctor | |
| Lifestyle Changes | 4. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke | Immediately |
| 5. Limit caffeine intake to < 200mg per day | Immediately | |
| 6. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption | Immediately | |
| 7. Exercise regularly (aim for 30 minutes, three times a week) | Immediately | |
| 8. Maintain a healthy weight (BMI 18.5-24.9) | Ongoing | |
| Nutrition and Supplements | 9. Take a prenatal vitamin or fertility supplement | 1-2 months before IVF cycle |
| 10. Increase omega-3 fatty acid intake (e.g., through fish oil supplements) | 1-2 months before IVF cycle | |
| 11. Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein | Ongoing | |
| Stress Reduction | 12. Practice stress-reducing techniques (e.g., meditation, yoga, deep breathing) | Ongoing |
| 13. Get enough sleep (7-8 hours per night) | Ongoing | |
| Partner Preparation | 14. Schedule a semen analysis for your partner (if applicable) | 2-3 months before IVF cycle |
| 15. Ensure your partner is also making lifestyle changes (e.g., quitting smoking, exercising regularly) | Ongoing | |
| Financial Planning | 16. Check your insurance coverage for IVF | 2-3 months before IVF cycle |
| 17. Create a budget for IVF expenses | 2-3 months before IVF cycle | |
| Emotional Preparation | 18. Consider counseling or therapy to cope with IVF emotions | Ongoing |
| 19. Build a support network (e.g., friends, family, online communities) | Ongoing |
For better understanding we separate female and male tasking for being ready for IVF process
Read more: Hazrat e Maryam Fertility Center in Iran
IVF Preparation for Females
| Category | Task | Timeline |
| Medical Testing | 1. Ovarian reserve testing (FSH, AMH, estrogen levels) | 1-2 months before IVF cycle |
| 2. Ultrasound examination of ovaries | 1-2 months before IVF cycle | |
| Vitamins and Medications | 3. Start taking prenatal vitamins and folic acid | 1-2 months before IVF cycle |
| 4. Take birth control pills (if recommended) | 1-2 months before IVF cycle | |
| Lifestyle Changes | 5. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke | Immediately |
| 6. Limit or avoid alcohol consumption | Immediately | |
| 7. Eat a healthy, balanced diet | Ongoing | |
| 8. Exercise regularly (avoid excessive or intense exercise) | Ongoing | |
| Uterine Preparation | 9. Sonohysterography or hysteroscopy (if recommended) | 1-2 months before IVF cycle |
| Stress Management | 10. Practice stress-reducing techniques (e.g. meditation, yoga) | Ongoing |
IVF Preparation for Males:
| Category | Task | Timeline |
| Medical Testing | 1. Semen analysis | 1-2 months before IVF cycle |
| Lifestyle Changes | 2. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke | Immediately |
| 3. Limit or avoid alcohol consumption | Immediately | |
| 4. Avoid exposure to toxicants and certain medications | Immediately | |
| 5. Eat a healthy, balanced diet | Ongoing | |
| 6. Exercise regularly (avoid excessive or intense exercise) | Ongoing | |
| Stress Management | 7. Practice stress-reducing techniques (e.g. meditation, yoga) | Ongoing |
| Sperm Health | 8. Avoid excessive heat exposure (e.g. hot tubs, saunas) | Ongoing |
| 9. Avoid tight-fitting clothing | Ongoing | |
| Support | 10. Be supportive of your partner and communicate openly | Ongoing |
Now it’s time to talk about another important factor that increases your chances of getting pregnant with IVF: the doctors and clinic that you choose for your treatment:
Choosing the best doctor and clinic for incresing IVF sucess rate:
IVF Sucess rate in Iran is High, however You want the best people on your team when it comes to IVF. The most important things to consider are:
- Skilled Hands: A fertility or reproductive doctor with much experience who can work wonders.
- A clinic with an excellent reputation that has completed many successful IVF cycles.
- Cutting-Edge Technology: A modern facility with the latest and most advanced tools to ensure the safety and success of your treatment.
- Touch of Personality: A center that nurtures and treats you like family, always providing personalized care and attention.
You can pursue your dream of starting a family by selecting a center that meets these criteria. Rest assured that IranHealthAgency will provide you with excellent care.
IranHealthAgency is with you at all these steps! You can focus on your doctor’s advice and stay healthy without missing your essential needs during treatment.
So, are you ready to increase your chances of getting pregnant with IVF?
For detailed information and to find the best IVF clinic and top IVF doctor, contact us by clicking the link below; you can reserve each clinic and doctor you choose with no wait list time:
