When you are starting the IVF process – there is ALREADY so much to learn, do and adjust to. If you feel you do not have the bandwidth to research additional fertility supplements – talk to your doctor. Feel ZERO guilt for you doing the best you can do with where you’re at right now.
That being said, I DO want to share my process with you for how I chose the fertility supplements I took in my 2nd & 3rd rounds of IVF.
To date: I have gone through 4 different IUIs, a full round of IVF [which was successful on first transfer], a FET [frozen embryo transfer, which was unsuccessful], and a 2nd IVF round with egg retrieval [which ended in a good response, but 2 genetically abnormal embryos].
The very first piece of advice I have to give you is to read the book ‘It Starts With The Egg’. If you do not have the capacity to do any additional research, just do this.
This is a book that is incredibly thorough. This book reviews science-based studies and various different fertility situations & recommends supplements based on diagnosis + potential effectiveness.
Not only is this book incredibly eye-opening, it’s a wonderful launching pad for you to do your own personalized research.
Step 1: read the book and jot down the recommended supplements so that you can do additional research.
After reading the book & reviewing what supplements were recommended for women with a similar story as mine – I began to personalize.
I would spend hours each week – researching these supplements and my specific condition [currently my main fertility concern is LOW AMH – or a diminished ovarian reserve for my age]. It was so helpful to have names of supplements that have already been tested and proven to be effective before I started further research. I could then read about these supplements & make my informed decision. Most of the time, I found so many other positive benefits to these supplements. It was an easy ‘yes’ to add them to my regimen.
Step 2: take recommended supplements from the book and research them further. Try to read both pros and cons if they are available.
After I got a good feel for what I really wanted to take – I presented a list to my medical team. I personally chose to get my doctor’s opinion on all the supplements I wanted to take. The way I see it, he is in charge of my case. He deserves to know if I’m taking anything other than what he has prescribed. I also wanted to hear from him if he knew of a supplement that he didn’t want me to take. Again, based on his clinical experience. There actually was one supplement on my list that he did not want me to take. He also had one to add that I didn’t have on my list. It was a true collaboration – which was my ideal situation.
Step 3: review this list of supplements with your medical team for support or modifications.
Now, it’s time to buy your supplements. If your doctor has a specific manufacturer, then it’s an easy choice. Some of these alternative supplements will have many different brands & manufacturers. You are looking for customer reviews & information on their website to show you that it is a high-quality supplement.
Step 4: buy your supplements from a high quality manufacturer and look for excellent customer reviews when it comes to quality.
After I had our list of supplements that both my doctor and I felt good about – I took them to my acupuncture appointments. Of course, there are many different opinions on the effectiveness of Chinese medicine / alternative medicine. However, when it comes to fertility, it’s actually been proven to help success rates.
The reason I took them to my acupuncturist was to help make sure my body was able to absorb the dose of supplement that is generally recommended. She also helped me decide on how much of a supplement my body could absorb at a time. This helps with the spacing out of these supplements throughout the day. It’s a simple way to optimize the positive effects of the supplements. You know your body is actually absorbing the nutrients & key components.
Step 5: take all supplements to your acupuncturist to help determine dose, frequency, and supplement timing to ensure ideal absorption.
That’s it! That is my process for determining which supplements to take! In everything, I am asking myself what is the RISK vs REWARD? That’s why it was so important to me to be thorough in my research of these supplements. In most cases, I learned so much about some amazing supplements that are not only a proven adjunct to fertility but in many other areas of health too.
You have to do what’s right for you and your unique situation. My main recommendation is to always keep an open conversation with your medical team! If you need tips on how to stay organized with all of your new supplements, check out this blog post.
Good luck with your research! I hope you find a great group of supplements to support you and your fertility even more!
