If you’ve been trying to have a baby and have run into problems becoming pregnant, fear not. There are natural ways to boost fertility, which work great when a woman decides to try IVF treatments. IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is a fertilization process that involves extracting eggs, retrieving a sperm sample, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. Once they are combined, the embryo(s) are transferred to a woman’s uterus where she carries her baby. This is a process that can really change a woman and her partner’s life if they really want a child but are having complications with fertilization and becoming pregnant.
While a woman decides to have IVF treatments though, there are natural ways where she can prepare her body for fertilization and help keep her body healthy while she is carrying her baby(s). Visiting a fertility center is a good first option for a woman looking to find out more information on IVF and how it can work for her. You will also want to ask your doctor at the fertility clinic to explain the IVF cycle.
The IVF cycle is similar to the menstrual period but does not involve ovulation. Instead, eggs are extracted when they are mature and then fertilized in the IVF lab in order to make an embryo or several embryos (there is a chance for twins or triplets!). By talking to your primary reproductive endocrinologist, you can find out more information on the IVF cycle and what you should expect.
So what are some tips for boosting fertility naturally?
1. Eat a healthy diet
Limiting foods that are full of sugar, flour, and that is processed/refined will help. Try eating more foods that have good amounts of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D. These vitamins help keep your body functioning properly, and deficiencies in these nutrients can put you at greater risk of a miscarriage. You need to make sure your body is properly nourished for baby to come, and then you need to remember to keep eating healthy so that you can continue to nourish your baby as he or she grows and develops in your body.
2. Limit or quit smoking
If you’re a heavy smoker, not only are you hurting your lungs and your body in other ways but were you aware that you are also damaging your eggs? That’s right, smoking causes the ovaries to age and can interfere with a woman’s fertilization process. Kick the cigarettes the curb to up your chances for a healthy and successful pregnancy.
3. Try and reduce stress
Everyone knows that stress has awful effects on the body. It can make you gain weight, it can break you out, it can cause depression and fatigue. The unfortunate thing is that it can also affect your chances of getting pregnant. If you are someone who gets anxious easily, try and make time for midday breathing exercises (especially at work!), going for walks or hitting the gym, making time for yoga, napping more, reading a book, taking a hot bath, or any kind of other relaxing activity. Stress affects fertilization by shutting down your reproductive. The culprit? A stress hormone named Cortisol.
4. Try juicing
Juicing fresh fruits and veggies is a great way to get your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to carry your baby. It’s something you and your partner can do together (everyone can benefit from a nice glass of green juice!) and he or she can help you dice up the fruit and juice it. Juicing can give your body a lot of antioxidants as well, which protect your cells, helps them regenerate, and keeps you healthy. It’s also easy to digest (much more than eating a bunch of raw fruit!).
Visiting a local fertility clinic can arm you with all the information you need to know about IVF, the IVF cycle, and what to expect. Stay calm and eat healthily, and your chances of a successful pregnancy can improve!