How do I prepare for my first IVF process?
IVF is a tearful process. Not always our doctors can and have time to explain everything to us in detail.
But what is important to begin with?
- To be mentally stable, aware, and realistic
- Watch your diet. Eat more protein foods and simple sugars (fruit, honey) less if possible, and exclude refined and complex sugars.
Recipes that are healthy and simple and that you can apply in your everyday life are actively published on our website.
- Physical activity- Light walking or non-strenuous aerobics or gym is recommended. It is very important not to have strenuous training and not to lift heavy weights (2 kg each is quite enough)
- Regularly take all nutritional supplements and chronic therapy if you happen to be receiving one prescribed by your doctor.
- Maintain the hygiene of your body and protect your immunity
- sleep for at least 7 hours.
- Avoid stressful situations.
- Be sure to do all the tests and hormones that your doctor will recommend.
From my experience, inappropriate analyses at the beginning of an IVF process
Hormones on the third day of the cycle
Pap test, microbiological analyses, infectious screening in both partners, HCG, thrombophilia with AFA and ANA panel.
TSH hormone and prolactin must be controlled throughout the process.
Your doctor on the basis of the analysis and the gynecological one, as well as the age and previous anamnesis
will decide what protocol (short, long, or a natural cycle) you will have and will always determine your therapy.
Keep in mind that we are all different and therapy does not have the same effect on everyone. That’s why your IVF doctor should monitor you carefully and if he needs to make corrections to the therapy.
Аn early cycle without any stimulation – the doctor follows you closely starting from the third day of the cycle. The follow-up is with the hormones E2, LH, TSH, FSH, and, if necessary, another hormone. Furthermore, controls up to the 10th day of the cycle are mostly echo examinations. Furthermore, after 11/12 days, in addition to the echo, the doctor closely monitors the growth of E2 and the level of LH hormones. The size of the ovum and how much E2 is in the blood is decisive when the doctor gives a stop injection and prepares the patient for a puncture.
When the size of the egg is somewhere around 19mm, and E2 is over 150, the doctor gives a STOP injection on a certain day and time.
is maturing and in the next 48 hours, he will schedule a pincension. (I would like to emphasize that the above is relative and is the doctor’s assessment when he gives the stop injection and schedules the puncture)
During the stimulated cycle, the doctor monitors more eggs and accordingly, the size of E2 should have higher values
During the stimulated cycle, the doctor monitors more eggs and accordingly, the size of E2 should have higher values
After the puncture, the role of the embryologist immediately takes over, who then proceeds to the fertilization process.
Which fertilization method you will use depends mainly on the quality of the sperm.
Otherwise, the puncture of a natural cycle where 1 egg cell is removed is usually without anesthesia. It is the same with the naturally modified cycle with clomiphene.
Where we have puncturing of multiple eggs, short anesthesia is recommended.
After the completed process, if everything is as it should be, after 2 hours you go home.
The next day in practice, the embryologist from the clinic contacts you and gives you information on how many eggs have been fertilized and how they are developing. Usually, the embryos are left until the third day to develop or until the fifth day. Depending on your organism and the agreement with the doctor, the transfer can be of fresh embryos, but they can also be frozen.
Depending on the assessment and the agreement with the doctor, it depends on whether he will give you immediate therapy that will prepare you for the transfer or whether it will be the next cycle.
More details about fertilization and transfer methods will be covered in a future text.