Goodbye, Old Routine: Hello Fertility-Friendly Lifestyle
- The new top priority is sleep: IVF patients need a good night’s sleep while undergoing treatment. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night to keep your hormones in check and improve the health of your eggs. Set a relaxing routine before bed, and make your room suitable for sleep. To do this, you should go to bed earlier, avoid caffeine and screens before bed, and make your room dark and quiet. Sleep is not a treat; it’s necessary for getting pregnant. So, we have prepared a sleep quality checklist for you to learn how to sleep during IVF.
- Say goodbye to your favorite foods (for now): For better egg quality, healthy sperm, and general fertility, you need to eat in a way that is good for you. Limit processed and high-sugar foods and instead eat more fruits, veggies, and whole foods. Berries, leafy veggies, and whole grains are foods high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Small changes that benefit you can make a big difference; for example, choose whole-grain or cooked chicken instead of white bread. Preparing your meals ahead of time can make eating healthy easier and more manageable.
- Work out: 64.4 % of women did not change their exercise levels before fertility treatment. Less is More. Regular exercise is good for your health, but too much exercise can make it harder to get pregnant. Instead of high-impact ones, do low-impact exercises like yoga, walks, or swimming. Also, pay attention to your body and rest when it tells you to. Avoid exercises like running and high-intensity interval training, which have many effects and can make you stressed out and irritated. Don’t forget that the goal isn’t to stop exercising entirely but to find a balance that helps you get pregnant.
- Thinking about old social habits: Having In vitro fertilization treatment can be difficult and stressful, and you may need to change some of your social habits while undergoing treatment. Cut down on or avoid social events that could make you feel stressed or anxious, and focus on building good relationships for your mental health. Find other ways to connect with family and friends, like online communities or support groups, and make time for things that make you happy and calm down.
- Getting used to slower days: a new normal: For IVF treatment, you need to take things more slowly. Take care of yourself first, take breaks when necessary, and pay attention to your mental and physical health. It could mean turning down social requests, taking time off work, or taking a break from your daily tasks. Remember that this is only a short-term change necessary to help you get pregnant.
- The Power of Your Thoughts (clear your mind): The attitude you have can make a significant difference in your chances of getting pregnant. To feel better, focus on the present, show thanks, and change how you think about negative things. Honor your strength and resilience by celebrating small wins like finishing a medication cycle or visiting your doctor. Remember that having a positive attitude is more than just thinking happy thoughts. It means developing solid hope and optimism.
Your sexual behavior changes during IVF
One of the most common questions patients have is, can we have sexual activity during IVF treatment?
Most of the time, you can have sex during IVF, but there are a few critical times when you should avoid it or wear protection:
- Men who are going to have a semen analysis test are told not to have sex for two to five days before giving a sample. This is because ejaculating right before the test can change the results.
- During the embryo transfer stage, couples are powerfully told not to have sex for 5 to 7 days so that the baby can implant adequately.
- Couples going through IVF may be told to use barrier methods of birth control, like condoms, to avoid getting pregnant naturally while the egg transfer is being planned.
- Moreover, research also shows that the physical and mental stresses of IVF treatment can affect sex drive and intimacy:
- The changes in hormones and pain caused by IVF drugs can make people less sexually satisfied and increase their drive, especially women.
During the IVF process, stress, worry, and feeling like a “guinea pig” can also make a couple less interested in having sex. But staying close in a non-sexual way is suggested, and you should feel free to talk to the fertility professional about any sexual worries you have.
Couples can deal with the changes in their sex life that come with IVF if they know what to do.
Your drinking routine
When women cut down or stopped drinking while getting fertility care, their chances of getting pregnant were twice as high as when they kept drinking. This means that reducing alcohol intake can improve fertility outcomes, as indicated by the odds ratio of 2.27 and the P-value of 0.049.
Caffeine Consumption: Women who drank herbal tea with caffeine, such as green tea, were less likely to get pregnant (with a decreased odds ratio of 0.52 and a P value of 0.041) than those who did not consume caffeinated herbal tea.).
So, if you guys are planning on going through IVF, it might be a good idea to reduce your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether. Taking this step could potentially increase your chances of conceiving and make the process smoother.
Final thought:
To change your lifestyle, you must know the dos and don’ts during IVF, such as what to eat and exercise. You must collaborate with your fertility center teams and even your doctor and never go alone with this general instruction. So, get it serious: IVF success rates are affected by how you change your lifestyle.
