Freezing your eggs? 3 hot tips for your stimulation phase.
Approaching the stimulation phase of your egg retrieval? It can be a wild time both physically and emotionally.
With a period of preconception care under your belt, there are a few lifestyle modifications to consider as you start using your IVF meds to recruit and mature follicles in preparation for your egg retrieval. While in clinic we tailor advice and treatment to each individual, there are a few lifestyle choices and changes that will make just about everybody’s stimulation phase a little smoother.
One: Be selective about your exercise
Movement is important during the stim phase! Exercise is important for circulation and oxygen uptake and can benefit our mental state as well. However, your choice of movement matters - we must make sure our exercise choice;
Doesn’t draw blood away from the uterus and ovaries - avoid intense exercise and heavy weight sets engaging major muscle groups
Does support those increasingly heavy ovaries. During stimulation phase, the ovaries can grow from 2 to 3 cm, up to 8 to 10cm. High intensity exercise can cause the swollen ovaries to twist or flip – a medical emergency called ovarian torsion. Don’t panic, it is relatively uncommon, but definitely one to avoid.
Doesn’t leave us in energy deficit. Don’t wear yourself out. Stimulation phase is TAXING. Save your energy to be directed where it is needed.
We suggest our patients continue moving, but choose gentle, non jarring options; yin yoga, walking, swimming, gentle stationary machines or even simple stretching.
Two: Consciously increase your water intake.
Two good reasons to drink more water in this phase? Circulation and minimisation of side effects.
Good blood circulation relies on adequate hydration and it is our blood that carries hormones, nutrients and oxygen to those rapidly maturing follicles.
We also know that some of the not so nice side effects of IVF medications can be exacerbated by dehydration - things like headaches, lightheadedness, and fatigue.
While we don’t have any conclusive research on the ideal water intake, we suggest most of our patients aim for around 3 litres of water each day of stims, increasing depending on things like hot weather and exercise.
Three: Add acupuncture
Your acupuncturist will want to continue seeing you weekly while you’re in the stimulation phase.
This study published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2018 found that acupuncture may promote ovarian blood flow and regulate hormone levels, which in turn improve ovarian response, all for the ultimate goal of more eggs, of better quality. Research is very clear that when we use frozen eggs, the chance of IVF success is better the more eggs we have. The more eggs we have, the higher the chance of having that one golden egg needed for a pregnancy.
While more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of acupuncture in the IVF space, existing studies suggest that acupuncture can play a role in supporting women in both the prep phase, stimulation phase and through IVF should you decide to use those eggs.
Thinking about preconception and not sure how to start? Check out this piece for a gentle 5-day fertility reset, or grab a copy of my book ‘Trying’.