Covid19 is impacting nearly every person on the planet. Here in Australia, all elective medical procedures are on hold, including all assisted reproductive technology. If you’re one of the people who has had a cycle postponed indefinitely, there are some steps you can take to reclaim a sense of control and keep those IVF dreams firing.

1. Have yourself a little pity party

I am all for feeling what you need to feel. These cancellations are cruel and brutal and disruptive – as if IVF isn’t already all of these things. Cry, mourn, throw something, call someone and really vent. Work through it... and then be prepared to shift gears.

2. Reframe

It might be helpful to look at cancelation as an opportunity to better prepare, physically and emotionally. We are learning more and more about preconception care and the impact we can have on

fertilisation
implantation
foetal development, and
the health of the future child.

These days count and are an opportunity to take positive action.

3. Immune support

While the data we have regarding the impact on Covid 19 on pregnancy and foetal development is all positive, information is still obviously new and limited. Best to focus on avoiding contraction. Aside from the standard measures we are all currently taking -

• Washing hands

• 2 metre distancing

• Avoiding touching your face to minimise the risk of droplet transmission to eyes, mouth or nose

I recommend adding:

From the vitamin cabinet: A high quality vitamin C and zinc. Being low in zinc can increase susceptibility to infectious diseases, while vitamin C helps support the body’s natural barriers.

From the fridge: Vegetables. 5 serves is great. 8 is better. Canned and frozen count.

From the great outdoors: For as long as we can, get outside for a little sunlight. Vitamin D from the sun not only helps in the building of sex hormones responsible for a well functioning reproductive system, it is also crucial for the immune system.

4. Slow the ageing process

While we can all look forward to becoming sexy wise old crones, when it comes to fertility, age is not our friend. There are plenty of steps we can take to protect our health and slow the ageing process. An important step - antioxidants. I recommend all my IVF patients and anyone in the 35 + region TTC to get on a Ubiquinol to support egg health. If you’re under 34, CoQ10 is a great and more affordable option.

5. Make it personal

There is no one size fits all solution to fertility and a tailored approach is the ultimate. Many of the women I support through IVF and beyond, start seeing me at the same time as they start working with an assisted reproductive physician. This is fine! However having an opportunity to work with women and men in the months leading up to an IVF cycle means we have time to have an impact on the reproductive system and the genetic material that is being passed down. Tailored treatment means preparing YOUR body, working with YOUR concerns and supporting YOUR goals.

Theres so much we can do to support and protect your reproductive health while you wait for your cycle to start.

Support egg quality. Our eggs are cells. Improving the health of our cells through diet, supplements, lifestyle changes or herbs can positively impact the quality of our our eggs.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve the structure of the endometrial lining, resulting in significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate in women undergoing frozen embryo transfer [1]
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to decrease levels of stress hormones specifically in IVF patients, which is associated with successful embryo transfer [2]

A final note - be ready!

This legislation WILL lift. And when it does, it is likely to happen quite quickly and you won’t have three months to prepare. Be ready to hit the ground running.

Hang in there xx

The Fertility Suite will continue to work with women both online and for the time being, in the clinic by appointment only. We will be following new extensive hygiene procedures recommended by government legislation.

It’s not just for women - men can benefit from preconception care too!

All the best,

Jenna x

References:

Shuai Z, Lian F, Li P, Yang W. (2018) “Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupuncture point stimulation on endometrial receptivity in women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer. A single blind prospective randomised controlled trial”. Acupuncture in Medicine. 33:1
Qu F, Zhang D, Chen LT, et al. Auricular acupressure reduces anxiety levels and improves outcomes of in vitro fertilization: a prospective, randomized and controlled study. Sci Rep. 2014;4:5028. Published 2014 May 22. doi:10.1038/srep05028

IVF in a time of Corona: 5 steps to take when your IVF is cancelled due to Covid19.