Six lifestyle-related considerations to keep in mind before starting IVF treatment

Here, are six things that you should keep in mind, as suggested by Dr Malhotra:

1. Get to a healthy body

Being obese is as harmful to your health as being underweight. In addition, your ability to conceive, including with IVF, is damaged by this. Being overweight may make monitoring your ovaries throughout IVF and aspiration of your eggs harder for your fertility team. An underweight woman, on the other hand, may find it challenging to maintain a correct hormone level to generate mature, healthy and sustainable ovaries.

You need to refresh your nutrition in either case. You can follow a diet and exercise schedule. Maintain your sight on a healthy baby’s aim. Remember a healthy baby starts within you.

2. Fitness is important

Your whole health is undoubtedly affected by the IVF outcome. Get a lot of cardiovascular exercise, at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Take any activity that increases your heart rate. You will lower your blood pressure, fight diabetes and get a host of other health benefits, including better IVF chances.

3. Caffeine should be consumed in moderation

Caffeine use should be monitored on a daily basis. According to new research, drinking too much caffeine can make it difficult to conceive via IVF by up to 50 per cent. According to the studies, women should consume not more than three cups of coffee each day, or the equivalent in caffeine from other sources.

4. Age plays a role

One of the most important factors influencing IVF success is age. For women above the age of 35, effective IVF outcomes are declining, and this decline is most pronounced beyond the age of 40. Don’t put off treatment for too long. If you are concerned about your age, talk to your doctor about options such as donor eggs.

5. Take stress-reducing measures

Stress and methods for dealing with it are prevalent in today’s popular culture. When you’re dealing with the stress of infertility and IVF treatment, it can be difficult to cope with it.

Stress not only interferes with conception and IVF success, but it also has a negative impact on your entire health. That is why dealing with stress is so important. Acupuncture, structured mind-body retreats, resilience training, and traditional counseling can supplement your normal stress-relieving routines (yoga, massage, meditation, prayer, daily walks, writing, etc).

6. Don’t smoke

Tobacco consumption has a negative effect on egg and sperm quality. If you and your partner smoke, you must quit immediately. Speak with your fertility expert for advice about quitting smoking.

“IVF is a long and winding road. It can take a long time to arrive at the objective of a healthy pregnancy. Try to remain patient and stay the course, no matter how difficult it may be. It is not uncommon to go through several procedures before achieving a viable pregnancy and knowing this ahead of time can help you prepare for the potentially long journey ahead,” the doctor added.