Whether a pregnancy is planned or not, the act of bringing a new life into the world is a beautiful thing but the journey to get there is not always an easy one. Sure, the conception period is lots of fun but it can get frustrating at times when you consistently don’t get the results you were hoping for. When this happens, it’s normal to feel frustrated but it’s no reason to lose hope. If you’re struggling to conceive, you can turn to egg and sperm banks like Cryos International in order to find the perfect fertility treatment for you and your partner. 10 percent of women experience infertility in the US, according to the Office on Women’s Health. By definition, infertility is the inability to conceive after trying for a year; for women who are 35 or older, it’s the inability to conceive after six months of trying. If you’re experiencing these issues, you may be the ideal candidate for IVF treatment.
Causes of Infertility
There can be a multitude of causes of infertility in women but in most cases, infertility issues is caused by ovulation issues. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause. PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that interferes with a woman’s ovulation process. Resveratrol is a natural compound that can address a hormone imbalance associated with PCOS but it doesn’t cure the condition. Other causes of infertility in women include:
Uterine FibroidsPelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)Endometriosis
How to Get Your Mind and Body Prepared
Understanding the IVF Process
One of the biggest parts of preparing yourself for IVF treatment is understanding the process and how it works. A lot of people have mixed views and opinions on IVF treatment and they have every right to have their own opinion on it but if you are seriously considering this as an alternative, it’s very important that you do your own research and consult with an infertility specialist. Don’t rely on the opinions of others, especially those who haven’t experienced the process. Typically, with IVF treatments, it’s a five-step process:
Ovarian Stimulation
Your fertility specialist will use various medications along with a follicle-stimulating hormone to stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs. You’ll take these fertility medications over the course of about 10 days. Your fertility specialist will then monitor the progression of your eggs through blood tests and ultrasounds.
Egg Retrieval
After the eggs have matured, your specialist will use an extremely fine and sharp needle to retrieve the eggs from each follicle. They’ll then be sent to a laboratory. Also, during the egg retrieval process, you will be sedated and under anesthesia, so you won’t feel a thing!
Sperm Sample
The man will be asked to provide a sample of his sperm to fertilize the eggs.
Fertilization
This is when sperm will be taken and placed with the eggs in the laboratory.
Embryo Transfer
This is when the fertilized eggs are transferred into the uterus.
Mental Preparation
We mentioned earlier that before making the decision to start the IVF process, it’s very important that you and your partner do your research on the process and consult with a fertility specialist first. In addition to that, it’s also very important that you set realistic expectations for yourself as well.
IVF is one of the top approaches to successfully treating infertility but it doesn’t always work for everyone. So, mentally preparing yourself for that upfront is very important. Also, this process can be mentally draining and quite stressful. It will require daily injections plus the costs associated with the treatments aren’t cheap so having an extensive conversation with your partner is very important.
Physical Preparation
Once you start the IVF cycles, you will be required to take medications and hormones to stimulate the production of your eggs… this part is absolutely necessary. Now, in addition to the required medications and hormones, your specialist may also require you to adopt certain lifestyle changes to increase your likelihood of conception.
Things like changing your diet to eating more fruits and vegetables. They may also recommend more exercise as well… nothing too strenuous or anything but going for a walk or Yoga is a great way to contribute to better health. Another way to physically prepare for this process is to make sure you’re getting plenty of rest. It’s recommended to get plenty of sleep in general, to function throughout your day but during IVF treatments, ample sleep is detrimental. Specialists recommend these lifestyle changes to increase the chances of mature egg production.
The post How to Prepare Your Mind and Body for IVF Treatment appeared first on Alternative Medicine Magazine.
