General IVF Hints

The main IVF hint is to pamper yourself! An IVF cycle is a very stressful thing and anything that helps you through it without harming a potential baby is okay!

• Decide ahead of time where and how you want to get news each day for how much medication to take, etc. This is especially important on the big days of finding out about fertilization and pregnancy test. Those days can be tough if things don't go well! You might want your partner or a good friend around!

• Rest is very important, even before transfer. All those developing eggs are taking up a lot of space and energy.

• Try to get to know the people who are treating you so you aren't just another patient.

• It may help to make a friend or two who is at the clinic for IVF, too.

• Bring a book, magazine, or hand-held game with you to appointments. You might be there for a while.

• Make sure they do a mock transfer prior to the actual embryo transfer. This is not fun, but it is necessary they know the depth of your uterus so they know where to put the embryos.

• Do whatever it is you need to do to make this manageable for you. (Naps, backrubs, favorite foods, etc. Be very good to yourself during this time.)

• Small amounts of alcohol will probably not adversely affect you or your eggs, but caffeine has been shown to affect fertility, even in small amounts, so try to avoid it.

• Buy a good, up-to-date fertility book and try to find out as much as you can about the IVF process beforehand. There are always new advances, so try to keep up with the changes in techniques.

• Always ask your RE [Reproductive Endocrinologist] a lot of questions about your progress, what the numbers mean, etc. That is what they are there for! Also, you should be able to get copies of anything in your file (like your follicle growth and E2 [Estrogen] test results and fertilization report). The more knowledgeable you are, the more likely they are to openly share information and take time to explain.

• It can be very comforting to find someone, either in cyberspace or in person, who is in a similar situation (factor, cycle) you can share stories and progress with.

• Try to keep a very flexible schedule the week before the pregnancy test. Some people start their periods early and are stuck somewhere where they cannot just be alone and grieve.

• Start taking a prenatal vitamin prior to your cycle. At the minimum, you should take 400mcg of folic acid daily for three months before conception to reduce neural tube defects such as spina bifida. The FDA suggests 800 mcg during pregnancy, so it is best to look for a prenatal with that amount.

• Some clinics believe a diet that is high in protein and low in salt and potassium can help you avoid hyperstimulation. Gatorade is a poor choice of fluid to drink to prevent/control hyperstimulation because it contains large quantities of salt. Water or Pedialyte is best, in quantities recommended by your RE. At a certain stage of OHSS, too much fluid can be detrimental.

• Remember that some people get very uncomfortable and even have a lot of pain as the ovaries are stimulated. This may get worse as the follicles ripen. Loose clothing may help.

• Don't worry about your weight unless you are tracking it for hyperstimulation purposes. Unless you hyperstimulate, most of the weight gained during an IVF cycle usually disappears once your period starts and if you are lucky enough to get pregnant your weight won't matter anyway!

• If you are not taking birth control pills the cycle previous to your IVF [in vitro fertilization], be sure to use birth control (no matter how ridiculous it may seem). Usually, you will start Lupron before you would know if you conceived or not and Lupron is very dangerous to a developing baby.

• The extra fluid your developing follicles are taking up and being NPO [nothing by mouth] before retrieval can sometimes cause constipation. Increasing your consumption of fiber and fluids as you approach egg retrieval may help alleviate this.

• Don't talk to your partner too much about his role. This may cause him extra anxiety during an already stressful time and the extra stress can aggravate the performance anxiety men suffer on the day of retrieval.

• If this is your first IVF [in vitro fertilization], be conservative about the number of blastocysts or embryos you transfer, especially if they are of very good quality. You may find fertilization was your big hurdle, and now that is complete you are on your way!

• If you have had more than one failed IVF, consider changing clinics, especially if your doctor doesn't have a change in protocol planned.

• Remember all cycles are not alike. Using the exact same protocol on another attempt even at the same clinic can lead to different results.

• Some clinics use medications to prevent embryo rejection (low dose corticosteroids, etc.) which may help your chances of success. Check with your clinic to see if they think it would make a difference for you.

• Always repeat the directions for medication to the nurse and get your E2 [estrogen] level. If something seems wrong or unclear, ask for clarification.

• Prior to the stimulation part of your cycle, make sure you and your partner discuss how many embryos or blastocysts you plan to transfer. (While remembering your plan may have to change because of circumstances of the IVF!) If you think you will have extra embryos beyond what you want to transfer to avoid high order multiple risks, decide whether you will freeze them or discard them. Decide whether you would consider selective reduction. These are not things to discuss under pressure right before transfer!

Read more: General IVF Hints

© Copyright 1996, 2000, 2001 Rachel Browne. Use and copying of this information are permitted, provided: 1) no fees or compensation are charged for use, copies, or access to this information and 2) this copyright notice is included intact.

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