Trying to get pregnant naturally or through alternative reproductive treatments, depends on many factors including diet. A healthy diet is essential for optimum health; however, if you have chosen IVF treatment for conceiving, then you must know how to use diet to increase your chances of success. An IVF specific diet can only be recommended by your infertility specialist, but here are a few diet changes that you can work on your own.
Boosting IVF Success with the Diet
Generally, the IVF success rate is around 30-40% for most women which is why you must do every lifestyle and diet changes necessary to increase your conceiving probability. There are certain foods that support the IVF procedure and stimulate your body to respond more positively.
A reputed IVF center in Thane will seldom provide you with a list of foods that you should include in your diet during the implantation step or at any other stage of the IVF treatment.
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Folic Acid rich foods
Pregnancy management medication after conceiving involves folic acid tablets for a reason. The folic acid is extremely important during pregnancy as it improves embryo’s health and nourishes the growing foetus to ensure there are no developmental disorders. You can dramatically improve your chances of success during IVF treatment by eating folic acid rich foods.
Foods that are rich in folic acid-Kiwi, tofu, poultry, peas, spinach, broccoli, leafy green veggies, cereals, bread, pasta and rice.
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Increase the Carbohydrates
Optimum weight is a major influence on the IVF success rate. Underweight women are 16% less likely to conceive via IVF. Including healthy carbohydrates gets your body the energy it requires for everyday tasks and also keeps your weight in check. IVF procedure requires a lot of energy which is why more carbohydrates will help the body to respond better.
Carbohydrate-rich foods include-Fruits, whole wheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa, potatoes, corn, sugary sweets, yogurt and beans.
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Foods Rich in Zinc
Hormonal balance is paramount to regulate the entire reproductive system in a female body. Any kind of fluctuation can use erratically functioning of ovaries that can adversely affect the quality of eggs, even lead to eggs not being produced.
Zinc is a nutrient that helps balance hormone levels in the body, which is why during IVF treatment, eating foods that are rich in zinc helps.
Zinc-rich foods-Potatoes, nuts, whole grains, legumes, meat, dairy, and eggs.
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Healthy Fats
Do not be under the false assumption that all fats are bad for health. You need to know that there are healthy fats to that are required by the body. During pregnancy, your body can use all the energy it can get, which is why reserved energy source provided by healthy fatty acids and unsaturated fats makes the body more responding towards IVF treatment. Avoid trans-saturated fat that is common in junk food at all costs but doesn’t bail on healthy good fats.
Healthy fats-Omega 3 fatty acid in fish oil, avocados, flaxseed oil, corn, olive oil, walnuts, coconut oil, and fatty fish.
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Protein-Rich Foods
Protein is responsible for the production of hormones that directly or indirectly affect the development of eggs inside ovaries. Protein has a multitude of functions involved during the pregnancy. You can consult an infertility specialist in Thane to know more about the impact of protein on fertility.
Protein-rich foods-Lean meat, eggs, pulses, seafood, nuts, dairy products, and soy products.
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Avocados
Avocados are a super food for pregnant women and can be very helpful during IVF treatment as well. The mono saturated fats present in avocados are known to be conducive to the IVF process. Also, this super food improves the ovulatory region’s health that is known to increase the IVF success rate by 3.5 times.
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Water
One of the most common problems found in women who opt for IVF is their lack of drinking enough water throughout the day. You can easily overestimate the amount of water you drink every day which is why it is better to schedule your water intake. Enough water in the body helps balance several elements and better circulation, which in turn helps early IVF implantation. Drink enough water, not necessarily 8 glasses a day, but according to your lifestyle.
What Not To Eat During IVF Treatment
As important as it is to include healthy foods in your diet, there are some items that you need to avoid during the IVF procedure to ensure good egg quality.
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Artificial sweeteners
Processed foods like chips, junk food, and packaged items are rich in artificial sweeteners. Also, some women choose to add artificial sweeteners in their tea and coffee over sugar. It is healthy to control calories but these sweeteners contain saccharin an element known to reduce IVF success rate.
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Raw eggs
Eggnog, egg salads or directly, you must keep away from the raw egg as there is a high chance of presence of salmonella virus in raw eggs that can cause food poising. The virus can also affect the embryo.
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Refined sugar
Refined sugar affects the body in several unhealthy ways as even a small quality can spike the blood sugar level. You might feel good eating refined sugar but it takes a toll on your liver as it has to produce more insulin to combat rising blood sugar levels. This can result in insulin resistance that directly affects fertility in women.
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Alcohol
Erratic ovulation is a known cause of infertility in women. Alcohol aids this behaviour which is why during IVF you should strictly not drink. No alcohol consumption will keep your ovulation cycle on track as well as decrease the risk of foetal impairment.
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Caffeine
We understand that current lifestyle dictates that we are active at all times and coffee aids the initiative but make sure to moderate your intake of caffeine in form of tea or coffee when you are undergoing treatment.
Conclusion
A good IVF diet can increase your IVF success rate by almost 20%. A healthy body and mind working together lead to a healthy pregnancy, optimal state of mind and body, and both can be improved via proper diet.