How to prepare for IVF?
Many young couples these days, even after spending more than a year planning to conceive a baby, are unable to do so. This inability to conceive naturally is caused due to infertility, which can be in the female or the male or in both. Many of them who already know what it is might also have been going through various appointments, tests and shifting doctors and their opinions. This article is to inform all of them about the most popular and successful method of assisted fertilization, IVF. In vitro fertilization is a process of fertilization where an egg is combined with sperm outside the body, in vitro. The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman’s ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova from the woman’s ovaries and letting sperm fertilize them in a liquid in a laboratory. After the fertilized egg undergoes embryo culture for 2–6 days, it is implanted in the same or another woman’s uterus, with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy.
So, if you are planning on starting IVF fertility treatment, here is what I did and a few tips to prepare the mind, body and spirit:
1. Make a plan
IVF is a time consuming and intense process when you see the list of medications and steps involved it can overwhelm you. But it is essential that you keep yourself organized and on schedule. Make sure you have a plan of how time your days around your treatment process and requirements as keeping the timings correct is a very essential part of the treatment.
- Create a support network
Make sure there are a few people around you who are supportive and positive throughout the process. Heavy medications and treatment procedures can make you extremely tired and cause mood swings, make sure you have people around you who can comfort you. Take an ample amount of rest that is required and if you are staying alone keep yourself distracted from the thoughts of the treatment.
- Talk about it
Don’t bottle up your emotions and worries. Most people feel uncomfortable while talking about their fertility problems, this is one of the reasons why by the time they reach a doctor or opt for IVF treatment most of them go past the ideal age bracket. Discussing this issue is not only going to help you but also will generate a common awareness among people who have various illogical taboos about fertility treatments.
- Eat Well
A healthy body is a key element in the success of any IVF treatment and a healthy body can only be attained through healthy food habits. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and unprocessed foods. Protein is also key for egg production, so stock up! Things to cut out are caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes.
- Get Moving
Along with plenty of healthy food, the right amount of exercise is very essential. Gentle exercises like walking, swimming or yoga are perfect for keeping the blood flowing and releasing stress-busting endorphins. Strenuous exercise should be avoided unless recommended by any doctor.
- Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body. “Acupuncture can increase the chances of getting pregnant for women undergoing fertility treatment by 65%,” according to The Guardian’s news pages.
- Relax
Take a deep breath and keep your hopes high while going for an IVF treatment. Keeping yourself calm is very important in case of any major fertility treatment. Unwanted stress is very harmful to anyone going through such treatment procedures.
Before any of the measures given above, comes a proper consultation with a certified doctor, this is the very first step. Consult with any renowned fertility center and experienced fertility specialist who can guide you through the entire process. Although there are various fertility centers providing IVF treatment, Dr. Saritha from Aaradhya Fertility Center, Vizag, makes sure that every patient gets a personalized treatment protocol. At this center, a patient is taken care of from before till after the treatment is over.
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