5 survival tips to cope with your IVF/egg donation cycle
IVF/egg donation is a successful infertility treatment suitable for women with poor ovarian reserve, early menopause or other conditions or women after the age of 35. It is a highly successful, though very emotional process. It can take toll on your family life and mental health. It is definitely worth preparing well before you have IVF so that you may go through the process more smoothly.
photo/ Darko Stojanovic
- Prepare your body
Make sure your health is in top condition. Review your diet, lifestyle, exercise routine and bad habits. Think of preparing for IVF/egg donation as preparing for natural conception. Take folic acid and other supplements and vitamins recommended by your doctor – he or she needs to make sure that they do not interfere with any drugs you will be taking during your hormonal stimulation.
Remember a healthy body helps develop healthy pregnancy. Try to:
- lose weight if your BMI is too high
- eat balanced diet
- work out at least twice a week
- reducecoffee (still you can have a cup a day)
- avoid smoking, alcohol and drugs
- Prepare your mind and attitude
Recently there has been a lot of talk about counselling for egg recipients. Some psychologists think it is necessary because of the complexities of IVF/egg donation and choices you have to make (e.g. open, non-anonymous versus anonymous donor, etc.). You also should be mentally prepared for the pregnancy and also for lack of it. IVF donor egg implantation failure and spontaneous miscarriages do happen, although they are more rare than with own eggs. Be ready for either failure or success. Join an IVF/egg donation support group, speak to a therapist or a friend who has been through egg donation process.
- Avoid infections around the embryo transfer date
During your embryo transfer your health needs to be in top condition. Make sure you do not have a cold or a flu as these may cause pregnancy complications. This also applies to gynaecological infections. Be extra careful and everything should go well.
- Follow your doctor’s recommendations
Following your doctor’s orders is crucial to successful IVF/egg donation process. All the drugs and hormones you have been taking are a result of many years of doctor’s practice, experience and know-how. Your fertility specialist should also give you recommendation on what to do and what not to do after the embryo transfer.
- Ask good questions in the clinic
Before you start the treatment at the clinic make sure you know the answers to these questions:
- How many mature eggs can I get from the donor?
- Are there any guaranteed eggs in the package?
- Are there any embryo guarantees?
- How many eggs can be fertilized?
- How many embryos are we going to transfer?
- What happens if embryo fails to implants? Do I get another try?
These are very important questions you need to ask your doctor or patient coordinator who is looking after your IVF/egg donation program. Make sure you are getting what you are paying for. But, most importantly, maintain positive attitude and lots of hope. Good luck!
Author: Bart Steinway
