Gather your support team together

It’s important to be picky about who you talk to about your IVF. During the two week wait, you need people who will understand what you are going through and who will provide comfort, not people who will judge you or be insensitive to your feelings. Get your support team together and ask if they can be present when you finally get your cycle results. Plan coffee dates with friends who will understand and listen to you talk about your feelings. Find ways to surround yourself with supportive friends and family so that you do not despair alone.

Have a back-up plan to in vitro fertilization

We all want this cycle to be the one that will finally get us pregnant, but it’s best to prepare the worst and create a back-up plan. A negative result will be devastating but with a back-up plan in place, it won’t take long before you recover and take charge of your fertility once more.

Appeal to a higher power

Your doctor did everything humanly possible to create a life inside you. All this time, you’ve been taking good care of yourself, eating well, and following your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Now that the IVF is over, everything is out of your hands. There has never been a better time to turn to your spiritual side and appeal to a high power. Even if you don’t go to church or believe in organized religion, try asking help from a power beyond yourself. At the very least, this will provide you with some comfort.

Meditate/visualize

Consider learning a meditation practice to help you manage your anxieties better. Just a few quiet minutes of meditation a day can improve the health of your mind-body connection, reduce stress, and helps you get away from negative thinking. Take deep, regular breaths and make positive words like “pregnancy” or “happiness” your mantra. You can also try a meditation trick called visualization, where you imagine the embryos attaching themselves onto the womb and growing into a healthy baby.

Do yoga or qigong to relieve stress

Staying active is a great way to keep your mind off the two week wait. Not only will exercise keep you in great shape, but it also stimulates the release of endorphins, which improve how your body copes with stress and pain. Consider enrolling in a yoga class or qigong – both provide a great workout without letting you overexert yourself.

Plan a non-baby related project

Another way to take your mind off your anxieties is to immerse yourself in a non-baby related project. It can be any project – a new hobby, an old hobby you never had time for, or major household chores that you never got around to doing. The most important part is that this project keeps you from dwelling on your cycle results. You’ll feel good about being so productive too!

Relax

Research shows that women who experience less stress have an easier time getting pregnant. Worrying about the outcome of your IVF certainly won’t help improve your fertility! Before the two week wait, create a relaxation kit filled with soothing music, essential oils for aromatherapy, and refreshing bubble bath bombs. You can also go shopping or fly to a weekend at a beach, if this falls under your definition of “relaxation.” Indulge yourself – you deserve good things after everything you’ve been through!

Stay away from stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but some sources of stress can be avoided. During the next two weeks, stay away from people who do nothing but trigger negative emotions – block his or her calls if you have to. Avoid situations that normally stress you out. If it is possible, use up your vacation leaves or sick leaves and temporarily escape the frenetic pace of work.

Stay connected and loving with your partner

Your partner will be the best source of emotional support during the two week wait. Don’t shut him out; stay connected with him and be open about your feelings, thoughts, and fears. Tell your partner what you need and make decisions about how you want to hear the news. Or ask him for help on keeping you distracted so that time flies by faster.

Take care of your health and eat well

Just because you may be pregnant now, it doesn’t mean you should stop taking care of yourself! A healthy baby needs a healthy mother, so make sure you keep up your fertility regimen well into your pregnancy. Eat well and take supplements to make up for lost nutrients. Avoid cigarette smoke and alcohol. Prepare meals filled with fertility-boosting foods. Don’t forget to take care of your emotional health too. It might help to see a counselor if you cannot cope with the feelings churning within you.

What is IVF

IVF is the acronym for in vitro fertilization. In vitro is the Latin phrase for “within the glass”, which gives us a good picture of what the procedure involves.  During IVF, the union of the sperm and egg takes place in a glass (or plastic) dish in a laboratory.  The resulting embryo is cultured for a few days and transferred into the woman’s uterus, where it will hopefully implant and grow into a healthy baby.  To increase the chances of pregnancy, you can choose to take fertility drugs designed to stimulate the maturation and release of more than one egg.  This allows the endocrinologist to create several embryos.   The more eggs produced, the higher the chances of conceiving – not all eggs become embryos, and not all embryos become babies.

While your embryos are being cultured in a controlled laboratory environment, you can opt for a number of techniques to improve the health of your embryos. One of these techniques is called assisted hatching. Assisted hatching breaks the outer layer of the egg to make it easier for the embryo to implant itself onto the uterus.  You may also avail of an optional procedure called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, a genetic test that allows the endocrinologist to transfer the healthiest embryos. Not only does this greatly help to increase the chances you will have a healthy child, but it also increases the chances of conceiving; most early miscarriages after IVF are due to chromosomal abnormalities within the embryo.

Why people get IVF

There are many types of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), but IVF is the most widely-used because it surpasses a wide range of infertility problems.   IVF can help:

• Women with blocked or damaged fallopian tubes. Any damage to the fallopian tubes can prevent pregnancy because the egg cannot be fertilized or the embryo cannot travel to the uterus.  Unlike other forms of ART, which require at least one normal fallopian tube, IVF can help women get pregnant despite tubal blockage or damage.
• Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a condition where the ovarian follicles containing an egg become fluid-filled sacs (cysts) instead of releasing the egg.
• Women with severe endometriosis, a condition where the tissue that lines the uterus grows in the ovaries or fallopian tubes.
• Men who have problems with sperm count, motility, or function, which keeps the sperm from fertilizing the egg on its own.
• Couples with unexplained infertility, especially when other forms of assisted reproductive technologies did not succeed.

Although IVF can get past these roadblocks to pregnancy, try not to think of the procedure as a magic bullet that will get you pregnant.  The success rates of IVF vary according to age, infertility problems experienced, the number of embryos transferred, and the number of cycles.  Your doctor should be able to tell you if you are a good candidate for IVF.

IVF step-by-step

The IVF journey begins with looking for the right IVF center. There are numerous IVF clinics across the country and around the world – contact several clinics and see if they have an orientation meeting you can attend.  The orientation meeting will allow you to view the clinic’s facilities, rates, and the IVF process.  You will probably be informed about the clinic’s success rates, but try to look beyond this when you make your decision.  As mentioned earlier, success rates depend on a number of factors; it is not necessarily a reflection of how your IVF cycle will turn out.

Once you have made the commitment to do IVF, your cycle will begin shortly.  Here is what you can expect out of a typical IVF cycle.

Ovarian stimulation

In order to increase the chances of pregnancy, most women take fertility drugs to trigger the production of several follicles and eggs.   Without these fertility drugs, the ovaries will only release one mature egg for retrieval, which may not be enough to get you pregnant.

The first fertility drug you will take is called Lupron, which shuts down the pituitary gland and prevents it from releasing mature eggs too early.  After about a week of Lupron, you will start taking fertility drugs with the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and the luteinizing hormone (LH).  This triggers the maturation of several follicles.

Most first-time IVF patients are unaware that fertility drugs are self-administered injections. Don’t worry, the nurse at your IVF center will demonstrate how to do the shots. If the thought of poking yourself with a needle frightens you, you can always ask your partner to deliver the shots.

Ultrasound

All in all, the ovarian stimulation phase lasts about two weeks.   Once you start taking the FSH injections, you will come to the center every 1-3 days for ultrasounds and some blood work. This is done to monitor the growth of the follicles in your ovaries. You need to get at least three mature follicles in order to move on to the egg retrieval phase. If the doctor detects fewer follicles than this, the cycle may be cancelled.

As soon as the follicles have reached a certain size, you will administer the trigger shot containing the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The hCG shot is designed to mimic the LH surge that triggers ovulation.  Your doctor will let you know when to take the hCG shot.   In 36 hours, you will return to the clinic for egg retrieval.

Egg retrieval

The egg retrieval is an outpatient surgical procedure done under anesthesia.  Using a transvaginal ultrasound and a special needle, the doctor will locate the mature eggs and extract them. The procedure will take less than thirty minutes, but you will have no memory of it – the anesthesia will put you to sleep. In about an hour, you will wake up at a recovery room, still groggy from the drugs.  You should not feel any pain after the retrieval, but it’s normal to experience minor cramps similar to menstrual cramps. After giving you a quick examination, your doctor will give you some medications to prevent infections and to stimulate the growth of the uterine lining.

Sperm collection

While the egg retrieval is taking place, your partner will be in another room, providing a sperm sample.  The sample is then taken to the lab and “washed” to isolate healthy sperm cells from dead cells, white blood cells, and other impurities. This provides your doctor with the highest concentration of quality sperm for healthy embryos.

Fertilization

The fertilization of the eggs will take place by the time you and your partner are resting at home.   Like the sperm, the retrieved eggs are washed to get rid of the follicular fluid; this allows the technician to examine their maturity and determine the time of fertilization.  Generally, eggs are incubated for two to six hours after the retrieval. Once they are ready, the eggs are combined with the sperm in a dish with a special culture medium.  The dish is returned to the incubator so the eggs may be left undisturbed.  Over the span of 2-6 days, the embryologist will confirm fertilization and monitor the growth of the embryos.   

Implantation

Generally, embryos are transferred three or five days after fertilization. The implantation procedure is quick and painless – a catheter containing the embryos will be inserted through the vagina and cervix until the mouth is positioned at the center of the uterus. The catheter is squeezed, and the embryos fall into the uterus.  You may take it easy for the next couple of days, but you don’t have to stay bedridden – the embryos aren’t going to fall off!

Two week wait

Many couples say that the hardest part of IVF is the two week wait. It takes about a week before an embryo implants itself and for the body to release the hCG hormone, which is what pregnancy tests measure. The uncertainty might be frustrating but try not to take an early pregnancy test; you may receive an inaccurate result.  Just take it easy and engage in activities that will distract you from the wait. Make sure you continue to take the drugs that will thicken your uterine lining.

Pregnancy test

At last, the moment of truth. On the 12^th or 14^th day after the transfer, you will come to the clinic to take a pregnancy test.

IVF cost

While a baby is a priceless blessing, there’s no denying the fact that IVF is a costly procedure.  The cost of IVF varies from clinic to clinic, but you can expect to pay around $12,000 per cycle.  Don’t be discouraged by the high price tag – there are plenty of ways to get IVF cheaper.

Find out how to greatly improve your chances with The Full Embrace IVF Success Program now.

For many years it has been accepted as common knowledge among the medical community that a woman is born with all the eggs she will have in her lifetime. We have been told that while starting out with over 300,000 eggs at birth, the number of eggs decline rapidly until menopause, which signals the end of our reproductive years. And this long held notion has offered slim hope to women in their late 30’s or 40’s who have been told they are “running out of eggs” and worse yet, the eggs they have left are rapidly decreasing in quality.

But a new study co-led by Dr. Jonathan Tilly, associate professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, published recently in the journal Nature suggests that this long held belief could be all wrong.

In their study involving mice, they discovered that ovaries are constantly replenishing their supply of tiny eggs. Constantly! So, what does a study on mice have to do with you? Does this hold any indication that a woman’s ovarian reserve is also continually renewing itself? Well, according to Dr. Tilly, in his own words, “At this point I think it is unimaginable that this does not happen in humans.”

Eastern medical philosophy has for thousands of years supported the view that in fact a woman’s fertility has the capacity to be replenished from within – naturally. Ladies, I have great news for you – many of the Western-based beliefs about the unalterable effects of age on egg quality need to be tossed out!  And it is the freedom from the beliefs about what we can’t do that can help us realize our full potential to reproduce naturally and easily – even into our forties. In the words of Deepak Chopra…

“The possibility of stepping into a higher plane is quite real for everyone. It requires no force or effort or sacrifice. It involves little more than changing our ideas about what is normal.”

The Supporting Evidence Keeps Pouring In

New studies continually arrive that support the view – in agreement with Eastern wisdom – that the reproductive system has a vast capability to be renewed, holistically, from within. Here are just a few examples:

• A study published at the Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Center in Colorado Springs in the journal Fertility and Sterility involving 147 patients revealed that when treatments of Traditional Chinese Medicine were applied “in patients with poor prognoses (elevated Peak FSH, longer history of infertility, poor sperm morphology) [they] can achieve similar pregnancy rates to normal prognosis patients.”

• Case studies at the Zhai Fertility Treatment clinic of London have demonstrated that applying Traditional Chinese Medicine can affect the reproductive system such that abnormally high levels of FSH drop to normal levels. Patients who were scheduled for IVF treatments changed their plans after taking part in the Eastern practices – practices that allowed them to conceive naturally.

• R.G. Godsen and C.E. Finch, in Definition & Character of Reproductive Aging & Senescence, state, “Dietary and endocrine manipulations can also slow the pace of ovarian aging.”

• There is a study published in Biology of Reproduction, by J. F. Nelson, R. G. Gosden and L. S. Felicio in coordination with McGill University in Quebec and the Department of Physiology at the University Medical School in Edinburgh which reveals that feeding a special diet to rodents significantly reduced ovarian follicle disappearance.

• A study at Harvard Medical School found that women who attended a mind/body fertility retreat doubled their conception rate, compared to a control group.

• Another Harvard study found that women drastically increased their conception rates by changing to a diet optimal for fertility.

• Quoting a well known Oriental Medicine expert, “Two specific areas are affected by the aging of a woman’s reproductive systems; the kidney and the spleen. Treat these… and you can often turn back the clock and restore higher levels of fertility.”

Maybe you are thinking, well, maybe some women can improve their fertility – but not me. It’s in my genes – I can’t change those. Hold on. The next bit of information is for you. Studies have revealed a five year difference in the onset of menopause in identical twins. Five years. And they found this five year difference in 20% of the twins they tested. Scientists have further determined that environmental factors –  diet, activity, etc. – have a significant impact on ovarian age.

The impact of this information cannot be underestimated. What we choose to eat, what we drink, the healing treatments in which we engage, our activities, our rest, even the air we breathe all play a significant role in our reproductive age. For all of us. We have choice. There is still time…

Opportunity: The 90 Day Window of Egg Development

It takes about 90 days for a follicle (which holds your egg) to be awakened from its resting state in your ovary and go through the process of growth and development that ultimately results in an ovulated egg. And during that time the follicle relates with nutrients, oxygen, hormones, blood – an entire mini-lifetime of interaction with the rest of your body.

And this is the time of greatest opportunity. During this 90 day time period, you have a window where you can take incredible control over nurturing the quality of your eggs, and turning back the hands of time…

How to Reverse the Biological Clock?

You can learn specific techniques of Eastern and Alternative Medicine, nutrition and activity to optimize fertility and turn back the hands of time for IVF success. These techniques couldn’t possibly fit in this single article. But they are all available, with step-by-step guidance that is clear and easy to understand.

In the comfort of your own home, you can learn the secrets to getting pregnant on a single IVF cycle. There is no time to waste when preparing for IVF. Download your program and get started immediately:

No, I’m not talking about IVF abroad. I’m talking about right in your top-rated, local clinics and hospitals.  Yes, it is possible – sound interesting?

The innovative “Mini-IVF”

Fortunately for many potential patients who struggle to find a way to pay for IVF treatments that can easily reach $10,000-$15,000 per cycle, there is now a less expensive and less invasive way for couples to see if IVF might be the answer – without breaking the bank.

It’s called Minimal Stimulation IVF (MS IVF). There are a few reasons that the IVF rates are much lower with this type of treatment, and recent studies on the effectiveness of this procedure show that it is very promising for couples struggling with infertility.

How it Works

MS IVF uses less drugs and hormone treatments than traditional IVF. During traditional IVF, women are usually given frequent, large doses of injected hormone medications that help their bodies to release more eggs more quickly; in the view of those who primarily use traditional IVF, the more eggs a woman produces, the better. Because traditional IVF uses very expensive drugs and takes lots of monitoring from the fertility clinic – which results in costly lab tests and doctor’s office visits – the cost of a single cycle of traditional IVF can be upwards of $10,000-$15,000.

MS IVF, on the other hand, uses very few drugs at all. Unlike natural cycle IVF, which uses no drugs, MS IVF does involve some drugs, but they are usually taken orally and in much lower doses than the traditional IVF. While typically producing only one or two mature eggs for in vitro fertilization, as compared with ten or more eggs with standard IVF processes, women often pleasantly report much more mild side effects as a result of the reduced drug regimen.

MS IVF procedures begin with women taking clomiphene citrate, a common fertility drug, for a month before the eggs are harvested; women who take this drug will usually have one or two eggs that can be fertilized at a time. Another type of MS IVF uses injected drugs, mainly GnRH-A stimulators similar to those used during the traditional procedure, but it only uses a single injection of the drug right before natural ovulation.

How Well it Works

Other than the lack of drug-induced follicle stimulation, MS IVF works just like traditional IVF. The eggs are harvested, fertilized in-vitro, and then injected into a woman’s body where they will hopefully develop into healthy, full-term pregnancies. However, because women undergoing MS IVF normally produce fewer eggs, the success rates of the procedure are lower for women over the age of 35. A study published in OB/GYN News showed a success rate of about 33% with the low-dose GnRH-A approach.

How Much it Costs

A round of MS IVF costs between $3,200 and $4,700, depending on which types of drugs are used. That’s a remarkable savings as compared to the cost of a traditional IVF cycle, which averages about $12,400.

The average cost for a live birth through traditional IVF is about $35,000, but the live birth costs for MS IVF are much lower, coming in at about $18,500.

As you can see, you can save quite a bit of money if you use MS IVF instead of traditional IVF. MS IVF makes in-vitro fertilization much more accessible for most people. You can get three cycles of MS IVF for less than the cost of one cycle of traditional IVF!

Want More IVF Cost Savings Secrets?

MS IVF is just one of ten ways to get an inexpensive IVF that is completely explored in IVF Cost Saving Secrets – a bonus eBook that comes for free with The Full Embrace IVF Success Program.

IVF Cost Savings Secrets gives complete details about many other ways you can save thousands of dollars on IVF, including nine ways that a woman of any age can get IVF for 75-85% less than what it normally costs, and in some cases almost for free!

IVF is expensive but it is our philosophy at The IVF Success Program that IVF should be available to whoever wants it. That is why we are offering this valuable eBook on IVF Cost Savings Secrets completely free when you download your copy of The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program.

Use the IVF Cost Saving Secrets to save yourself thousands $$$ of dollars on your IVF!

Get your free copy of IVF Cost Savings Secrets by downloading The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program now:

Developed by American couple Larry and Belinda Wurn, this new technique gives you the feeling of deep massage while it helps reverse female infertility.

How the Wurn Technique Improves IVF success

The Wurns developed their unique therapy technique 20 years ago after Belinda developed cervical cancer that left her organs and pelvic tissues adhered in a condition called frozen pelvis. In this condition, adhered tissues act like a strong glue and can impair organic functions. Endometriosis can also bind adjacent tissues on or within any of your reproductive parts, often resulting in female infertility.

Most medical experts would turn to surgery to try and correct adhesions. But instead of pursuing this option, the Wurns decided to find other possible treatments.

Armed with post-graduate knowledge of advanced manual physical therapy, the couple began using the techniques they learned in class on Belinda, basing them on the tissue adhesion principle. In time, pain from her pelvic condition began to decrease and disappear.

Success Overcoming Infertility with IVF Combined with the Wurn Technique

Today, Larry and Belinda continue to help and give new hope to women suffering from infertility for different reasons. A study that came out in a 2004 issue of the Med Gen Med (now The Medscape Journal of Medicine), said 71 women who previously failed their IVF attempts twice or more succeeded in their latest IVF attempt with the help of the Wurn Technique. Of these 71 women, 50 were reported to have successfully given birth.

In terms of sexual reproduction, this revolutionary therapy helps your muscles to relax and loosen up from adhesions. The absence of blockages or adhesions thus allows the normal travel of the sperm within your reproductive region.

Other practical benefits reported in the study include decreased spasms and higher FSH levels. Women with cervicalstenosis or fibrosis (stiffness) also tried the technique and reported positive improvements. Their IVF transfer became easier and their implantation rates went up, as well.

Want to Know More Secrets to Greatly Improve Chances of IVF Success?

Then we have just what you are looking for! Proper preparation for IVF can transform a couple from being in a camp with a low chance of success to one where their likelihood of IVF success is very high. Here is just a sampling of secrets you can learn about how to have a successful IVF in The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program eBook:

Here is just a sampling of what you can learn about ways to get into the camp whose likelihood of IVF success is very high…

(From Chapter 1) An easy treatment for a condition that often goes undetected that can make implantation nearly impossible. A study published in the professional journal Human Reproduction showed that after this treatment women:

Got pregnant at about twice the rate of those who did not.

(From Chapter 2) A lifestyle change the British Medical Association reported that when altered helps women:

Conceive twice as fast.

(From Chapter 2) Another lifestyle change that Harvard University’s Department of Epidemiology discovered:

Reduces the risk of endometriosis by 50%

(From Chapter 4) A certain very common thing many people do that was reported in a study by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that when stopped:

Makes chances of pregnancy 3 times more likely.

(From Chapter 5) According to a study by fertility experts at the University of California San Diego, a common condition not often associated with fertility, that when corrected

Increases a female’s chances of conceiving by 93%.

(From Chapter 5) An extremely easy practice you can do yourself at home that was reported at a conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology which proved to:

Increase the success rate of IVF by almost twice that of those who didn’t do the practice.

(From Chapter 6) Complete instructions to a practice from Eastern medicine you can easily do yourself at home which the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility published studies proving those who did this practice with IVF cycles had:

Increased pregnancy rate as opposed to the group who only received a placebo.

(From Chapter 7) According to a paper presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a certain practice explained that was found to:

Reduce miscarriage in IVF pregnancies.

(From Chapter 7) An easy practice you can do yourself at home that according to studies at Beth Israel Hospital has been shown to:

Increase pregnancy rates in women who have been trying to conceive for years.

(From Chapter 7) An amazing and little known natural therapy that was reported in the Medscape Journal of Medicine to:

Dramatically increases pregnancy rates of IVF in women who have never been able to conceive before.

(From Chapter 10) A study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine found a certain wonder herb to:

Increase sperm quality by 38% and sperm function by 19% in a short period of time.

(From Chapter 10) Studies at Harvard University have found certain supplements:

Increase ovulatory function in women by 59%.

(From Chapter 10) A certain herb that doctors have found to be especially helpful in:

Improving the chance of a fertilized egg’s successful implantation onto the uterine lining.

And a whole lot more!

As you can see, all of these studies have revealed practices that you can do that dramatically increase chances of IVF success! You can be fully empowered and understand completely how to beat the odds by learning how to do these practices yourself in The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program!

Download your copy today and get started immediately:

Fortunately there are natural herbs that can help super-charge a man’s fertility. These are herbs that can increase male fertility by providing the nutrients and by positively affecting qi (life energy) in ways that are often times in need of nurturing and healing for healthy and plentiful sperm production to take place.  Consider taking these herbs leading up to your IVF to improve your chance of success. And as always, remember to check with your doctor first.

Pycnogenol

This odd-named extract (pronounced pic-noj-en-all) of the French maritime pine tree has numerous benefits on health, but the latest research from the West Essex Center for Advanced Reproductive Technology shows that pycnogenol can also benefit male fertility.  Pycnogenol contains bioflavonoids and natural antioxidants that enhance sperm health.

The October 2002 issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine documents a study where sub-fertile men had improved sperm quality by 38% and function by 19% after consuming pycnogenol. The study recommends taking 100mg – 200mg pycnogenol supplements for best results. Pycnogenol can be found in most health food stores.

Ginseng

The ginsenosides found in Asian ginseng are known to strengthen the immune system and studies done in China conclude that this herb can also counter impotence and low sperm count.  Consuming 100-200mg of ginseng a day can cause a significant increase in sperm count, sperm motility, and testosterone levels within 12 weeks, or less.  Asian ginseng root can be brewed into a pungent tea or consumed in capsules.

Asparagus root

Asparagus root is rich in folic acid, which regulates hormones and improves the overall health of the male reproductive system.  Two other ingredients called furostanol glycocides and spirostanol improve male fertility by increasing sperm count. As an added bonus, Ayurvedic medicine also considers asparagus root as an aphrodisiac for its reported benefits to the male sex drive.

Want to Know More About Herbs and Supplements to Boost IVF Chances of Success?

You can get all those details in The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program eBook!

Here is just a sampling of what is included:

*  Studies at Harvard University have found certain supplements that increase ovulatory function in women by 59%.

*  The best herbs to treat many conditions of infertility such as PCOS, endometriosis, multiple miscarriages, unexplained infertility, and hormonal problems to prepare the body to by primed for a successful outcome with IVF.

*  A certain supplement studies at Harvard University have found to assist in embryo survival.

*  A certain supplement studies have shown women with PCOS really need to take to help sustain a pregnancy and lower the risk of premature birth.

*  A certain supplement that has been shown to significantly increase sperm quality in cases of male factor infertility from unknown causes, according to a study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

*  Herbs and supplements that must be avoided by both men and women that could stop you from conceiving with IVF – some of these might surprise you.

*  A certain supplement that studies published in the journal Human Reproduction found increased IVF pregnancy among women with problematic uterine and follicular Doppler flow.

*  A certain supplement that is especially crucial for those in their late 30s or 40s going through IVF.

*  Two key supplements that when combined together, significantly reduced male infertility, according to a study from The University of Rome.

*  A certain herb that doctors have found to be especially helpful in improving the chance of a fertilized egg’s successful implantation onto the uterine lining.

*  And much, much more!

Download your copy today and get on the road to IVF Success:

Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates

Sugar and refined carbohydrates are a big no-no for your IVF, especially if you are suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). According to the Nurses’ Health Study out of Harvard University, the largest study ever conducted on nutrition and female fertility, women who eat more refined sugar are more likely to suffer from fertility problems.  Our body’s glucose levels rise whenever we eat refined carbohydrates or sugar. As the glucose levels rise, the body produces the hormone insulin so the cells can use glucose for energy.  Foods with a low glycemic index allow the body to go through the glucose slowly, but refined sugar (foods with high glycemic index) causes the blood glucose levels to rise too quickly.  This makes your insulin levels stretch out too thinly and adds stress to your body. If you keep a regular diet of refined sugar, your body will eventually become insulin resistant. Research shows that up to 70% of women with PCOS are insulin-resistant.

Additionally, studies have shown that a high carbohydrate diet contributes to the experience of hyperstimulation in an IVF cycle. Cut out the bad carbs and include lean protein in your meals to help avoid this problem.

Trans-Fats

Chips and fries may be crispy and satisfying snacks, but they’re also rich in an industrially created fat called trans-fat (trans-fatty acids or partially hydrogenated oils).  Trans-fats are found in packaged goods, fried fast food, microwaved popcorn, or vegetable shortening in order to extend their shelf-life.  Any commercial good that has “partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “shortening” in the ingredients label probably has trans-fats.  The Nurses’ Health Study sited earlier found out that women who ate more trans-fats were less fertile.  In fact, just a 2% increase in trans-fat consumption makes a woman 73% more likely to suffer from infertility.  Trans-fats affect fertility by making the body more insulin-resistant and causing inflammation.  In men, high trans-fat levels make the membrane of the sperm cell less flexible, decreasing its ability to successfully penetrate an egg cell.

Soy

Reports show that too much soy protein can decrease male and female fertility.  A study published in Human Reproduction looked at the sperm samples and soy intake of 99 men with unexplained infertility.  Researchers discovered that over half of the men had poor sperm motility and low sperm count.  The researchers also observed that the men with higher sperm count and better sperm quality had lower soy intake.

Fortunately, you can find out about ways to counteract the damage that may have been done to your fertility through eating these dangerous foods, and many other secrets to improving your chances for pregnancy with IVF in the breakthrough eBook:

The Full Embrace IVF Success Program

Not only do the methods in the eBook work well, they are also easy to implement, especially when you know you are working towards that day when you will finally hold your baby in your arms…

Here is just a taste of what’s revealed in the eBook:

*    A natural technique that has been shown to reduce high FSH levels. (Chapter 7)

*    A natural method that has proven to remove reproductive adhesions. (Chapter 7)

*    The truth about how research has shown exercise can affect your fertility and an easy and gentle plan to exercise to be at your most fertile. (Chapter Eight)

*     A complete nutrition plan, based on the most recent research for improving fertility, to significantly boost fertility for IVF success. You will enjoy and never go hungry with these scrumptious foods! (Chapter 9)

*     How to communicate with friends, family and work relations about your IVF to help keep your stress levels low. (Chapter 11)

*      A lifestyle change that Harvard University’s Department of Epidemiology discovered reduces the risk of endometriosis by 50%. (Chapter 2)

*       A certain very common thing many people do that was reported in a study by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that when stopped makes chances of pregnancy 3 times more likely. (Chapter 4)

*      According to a study by fertility experts at the University of California San Diego, a common condition not often associated with fertility, that when corrected increases a female’s chances of conceiving by 93%. (Chapter 5)

*     An extremely easy practice you can do yourself at home that was reported at a conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology which proved to increase the success rate of IVF by almost twice that of those who didn’t do the practice. (Chapter 5)

*     And that’s not nearly all!

Get your program today and learn all the secrets you will ever need to know about how to have a successful IVF cycle:

When planning a fertility diet, I look to research from both Eastern and Western practices. And as those of us who follow the latest research in fertility have long been aware of, studies from the West that link improved conception success related to diet are often very closely in line with dietary recommendations of Eastern medicine. Furthermore, Western studies are finally confirming what the wisdom of traditional Chinese healers and other alternative health practitioners have acknowledged for many, many years – the foods we eat have a profound impact on our ability to get pregnant.

And it’s about time. For example, a wide scale study at Harvard University, spanning over many years and involving thousands of female nurses, found that changing diet alone to whole foods and complex carbohydrates, without any further medical intervention, reversed infertility resulting in natural pregnancy rates increasing 6 fold!

The Eastern philosophy of healing through diet involves understanding and appreciation for each food’s energetic, nutritional and taste qualities. And here are three fine examples of foods that are prescribed by Eastern practitioners for overcoming infertility. Not only are they especially potent for their nutritional and active energy components that target fertility enhancement, but they are delicious, too!

Enjoy!

Shiitake Mushrooms

Research has shown that shiitake mushrooms are up to forty times more powerful than wheat germ in the antioxidant L-ergothionein. As a matter of fact, they have a higher quantity of this antioxidant than is found in any other food. Why is this so beneficial?

A number of studies have revealed seminal oxidative stress can have a very damaging effect, leading to male infertility. Eating shiitake mushrooms, with their amazing levels of antioxidants, is extremely useful towards neutralizing oxidation and increasing sperm quantity and quality.

Shiitake mushrooms are not only advantageous for male fertility. They are an effective medicine for females trying to conceive, as well. Shiitake mushrooms are high in selenium content. Selenium is another antioxidant that goes a very long way in protecting the body from chemical fragments known as free radicals. In this capacity, selenium is a defender against chromosome damage, which is widely known to be a primary cause for miscarriages and birth defects.

Shiitake mushrooms are often used as a substitute for meat because their flavor and firm texture lends itself well in that direction. A favorite preparation is to sauté them with other vegetables and a little garlic and then serve over brown rice.

Pineapple

Did you know that indulging in a sweet juicy fruit from the tropics could help your embryo implant in your uterus?

Pineapple has a high content of bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme, that is beneficial for reducing inflammation and breaking up certain proteins that can negatively impact implantation of your embryo. The flesh of the pineapple, rather than the core, is the best part to eat in terms of the concentration of bromelain that is most conducive to pregnancy. It is recommended to include pineapple in your diet starting on the day of embryo transfer onwards.

Molasses

The high content of calcium, iodine and iron in molasses are wonderful nutrients that are much needed to sustain a pregnancy, and lack of which may lead to miscarriage.

Molasses is also rich in a B-complex known as PABA. There was a study done which resulted in a 75% success rate of conception for women who supplemented their diet for 3-7 months with PABA. Out of the 16 women trying to conceive in that study, 12 of them conceived within those few short months!

The energetic and nutritional content of molasses also makes it an excellent remedy for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and other hormonal irregularities. The best variety to use is the black strap because it is extra rich in nutrients. I enjoy mixing a little with whole milk for a sweet fertility treat.

There are many other foods that are super powerful for reversing infertility and getting pregnant quickly. When you are trying to conceive with IVF, it will support you in your cycle to understand which foods will help you along the most, and which foods it would be best to avoid.

You can find out all the details you need about the best fertility diet for IVF success in The Full Embrace™ IVF Success Program. Here is just a sampling of what is included:

*  A complete nutrition plan, based on the most recent research, to significantly boost fertility for IVF success. You will enjoy and never go hungry with these scrumptious foods! (Chapter 9)

*  A shopping list of readymade fertility meals you can find at most grocery stores, for busy couples. (Chapter 9)

* Foods that are known to impair female fertility, according to studies at Harvard University, that you must avoid leading up to and going through IVF. (Chapter 2)

* Certain types of food that studies have shown to decrease sperm count by up to 50% that men must avoid before IVF. (Chapter 2)

Want to know more? Get all the details right here!

Even though waiting on the HCG test can be a difficult time, you shouldn’t hang all your hopes on what that number is once the test is complete. Worrying about the results of your HCG test during the two weeks when the embryo is hopefully growing in your womb isn’t going to help matters much, and, in fact you can’t even expect to get a 100% positive answer from an HCG test, no matter how sensitive and sophisticated the doctor’s office test may be.

HCG is Just an Indicator

One of the reasons that many couples get so tense about their HCG tests is that they think the level of the hormone in a woman’s blood will be able to say definitively whether or not her pregnancy is going to work out. This is simply not true. While no HCG in your blood will certainly be disappointing because it means you aren’t pregnant, a low level of HCG doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to miscarry in the next week.

In fact, the average level of HCG is a pretty good indicator about a pregnancy’s viability, but the lowest number that can indicate a healthy pregnancy is really variable. In one test, for instance, some normal pregnancies had fourteen-day HCG levels of just 17 mIU/ml even though the average was 48 mIU/ml.

Your Implantation Could Affect Your Numbers

One thing that doctors are finding seriously affects HCG numbers at day fourteen and beyond is when the egg was implanted. Many couples now are opting for day five transfers, which means that doctors can more successfully predict which embryos will be healthy and which will not. For the most part, couples who choose day five transfer have had trouble with IVF before, but this procedure has been proven to be helpful for some couples, especially those who struggle with many spontaneous miscarriages.

However, even though this process is helpful, it may also lower day fourteen and beyond HCG levels. Because by the embryo’s fourteenth day of life it has been implanted for two fewer days than is considered normal in today’s world of IVF, a woman’s body has less time to react to the implantation and to create HCG. The lowered levels of HCG don’t mean that a pregnancy is less likely to work out; they simply mean that the blood levels are lower than average.

An Ultrasound is Best

Even though HCG tests are important in helping you determine whether or not you are actually pregnant, the ultrasound that you’ll have later on is even more important in helping you know whether or not your pregnancy is viable. Although nothing can actually predict whether or not a pregnancy will miscarry, an ultrasound is definitely a more definitive predictor than an HCG test, anyway.

Even though it can be scary to wait for the results of your HCG test, just remember that no amount of worrying is going to help. In fact, since stress is related to infertility and may be related to miscarriages, worrying about your test results may be counterproductive. Be kind to yourself and do everything you can to relax and remain positive. It often helps to meditate daily to ease your mind, strengthen your spirit, and prepare yourself psychologically for whatever awaits you at the end of these two weeks.

For more information about IVF Success please sign up for our free IVF email mini-course.

10. 2nd Time’s the Charm to Overcome Chelsea and Mike’s Infertility . . .

You’ve heard that the third time’s the charm, but for Chelsea and Mike, two was the magic number. This couple struggled with infertility for several years before moving on to IVF. Chelsea was really excited about the possibilities, but, unfortunately, the first round did not go so well. The doctor harvested ten viable eggs, but not one of them fertilized.

Thinking that there was an issue with her eggs, Chelsea and Mike sought the help of a second fertility specialist, who confirmed that ISCI might be the best option for the couple. So, they prepared for another round of IVF, which was uncomfortable for Chelsea but which resulted in another ten healthy eggs. This time, ISCI was used to fertilize five of them. The doctor insisted on implanting only two eggs for the sake of safety. Two weeks later, Chelsea found out that she was pregnant, and her pregnancy was confirmed to be a singleton a few weeks after that. Now, she is the mother of a healthy baby boy.

9. Male Factor Issues

When Rene and her husband James had been trying to get pregnant for six months with no luck, they figured it was time to see an infertility specialist. The couple had noticed before that James seemed to have unusually thin semen, and their suspicions were confirmed when they had him tested. Basically, James produced sperm but was missing the anatomical parts to get it out, which meant that any children Rene and James had would have to be conceived by assisted reproductive technology.

Because the couple’s insurance paid for some IVF procedures, they decided to go that route right away, adding in the additional ICSI treatment. They started Rene on medication, and she responded incredibly well. The doctors were able to harvest twenty-two eggs, and they were able to extract plenty of healthy sperm from James. In the end, twelve eggs were fertilized, three of which were put back into Rene’s uterus. Luckily, one of the eggs took on the first time, and the couple now has a healthy son. They hope to use the other embryos that were frozen to give their son siblings someday!

8. Victory on the Fifth Try with In Vitro Fertilization

Brianne and her husband Jack were married relatively young, and they chose to try for children within a year of their marriage. Thinking that the process would be simple, they started with just unprotected sex, and then moved on to more earnest trying. When this didn’t work, they saw a specialist who found that Brianne’s tubes were blocked with mucus, making it difficult for sperm to get to her eggs.

The couple wanted children badly and decided to jump straight to IVF. The first round seemed to go very well, since they got twelve fertilized eggs. The doctors implanted three and froze the rest. But unfortunately, the round ended in a negative result. They started again, using the frozen embryos for a cycle that ended in miscarriage and then went on and had two more frozen cycles which both had negative results and which used up all the frozen embryos. After taking a break for a whole year, the couple decided to do one more complete round of fresh cycle IVF. This time, the doctor implanted five eggs instead of three like they had every time previously, and two weeks later, Brianna found that she was pregnant! This time, she carried a little girl to full term.

7. Double Your Fun with Fertility Treatment Out of the Country

Alex and her husband had been trying for six years to have children before they finally sought the help of a fertility specialist, who noted that Alex had scarred tubes, endometriosis, and fibroid tumors. The couple couldn’t afford IVF at the time, so they tried four years of other, less expensive treatments. They were ready to give up but decided to save up their money and try IVF just to see if it would work.

They went to Mexico to have the treatment done because it would be more affordable there. The whole procedure went well, and the couple became pregnant on the first round. After that baby boy was born, Alex wanted to try for one more before she turned forty (she was thirty-eight at the time), so when her son was a year old, she tried one more round of IVF, which also resulted in a pregnancy and, eventually, a lovely baby sister for her son.

6. From Tragedy to IVF Happiness

Cassie knew long before she started that she would have to have IVF because she had Hepatitis C. Cassie’s story, though, actually starts with a pregnancy. Three years before she started IVF, she had a tubal pregnancy that nearly killed her. When she went to the ER to have her tube removed, she was bleeding internally and externally, and the doctors had to remove both of her tubes. When Cassie got home, she knew she was still pregnant, which was confirmed by her OB after some convincing three days later. She had had both an ectopic and a normal pregnancy, but the surgery had killed the baby in her womb.

Cassie also ended up with Hepatitis C from the blood transfusion she was given during her whole messy ectopic pregnancy. Because of this and the removal of both tubes, she would only be able to get pregnant through IVF. When she first started, she was nervous, and she didn’t respond well to the medications. In the end, she only got three embryos that weren’t of the best quality, but the doctors transferred all of them. Two weeks later, Cassie found out she was pregnant, and she is going to have a little girl in a couple of months!

5. A Total Surprise Story Positive Pregnancy Test

Shannon and her husband Tim suspected they had a problem when they tried to get pregnant for eighteen months when they were in their early twenties and nothing happened at all. The couple saw a specialist, who found that Shannon had severe tubal blockage. In an attempt to get pregnant naturally, they paid to have her tubes repaired. Unfortunately, the surgery didn’t work and ended up with Shannon having to have both tubes totally removed.

Now, their only choice was to try IVF, and try they did. The first round of IVF resulted in a devastating chemical pregnancy, but Shannon and Tim decided to press on. Just before the New Year, they had another retrieval and transfer, which resulted in four eggs being transferred. Shannon was supposed to go in for her pregnancy test on the 2nd, but her nurse actually decided to run the test along with other hormone tests on the 30th. At this point, she found out she was pregnant, and she was totally shocked! Shannon was originally pregnant with twins, but one miscarried early on, leaving she and Tim with one healthy, bouncing baby boy.

4. Waiting for Two Babies

Amy and Tom got married when they were in their early thirties, and they knew that if they wanted a family, it would be best for them to get started right away. After three years of attempting to make a baby, they had no luck. Eventually, they were diagnosed with unexplained infertility, and after four years of trying other treatments, they moved on to IVF.

Their first round of IVF didn’t go well at all, and they switched clinics, thinking hard about who would give them the best results. The second round went much better, even though Amy and Tom had to fly into Nevada from their home in Canada to make sure everything happened at the right time. The couple actually opted to transfer six eggs, a risky move but one they were willing to make. Luckily, only three of the eggs implanted, and Amy was pregnant. At her first ultrasound, they heard two beating hearts, and the couple is now proud parents of a boy and a girl.

3. Waiting for Fertility Insurance

Sometimes, IVF comes down to insurance or no insurance for couples who simply don’t have the means to pay for the procedure. This was the case for Cheri and Rob. They knew after six months of trying to get pregnant that they had issues, which turned out to be very low sperm count and motility for Rob. The couple wanted to jump right into IVF, but they couldn’t afford the $10,000. At first, Cheri thought her company’s insurance would pay for part of the costs, so they got ready to go. Then, they had all sorts of problems with the insurance company, and Cheri’s place of work decided to change companies. Luckily, though, the benefits representative at the company searched specifically for companies that covered IVF for Cheri’s sake.

After being delayed several months by the insurance problems, Cheri and Rob were finally ready to start IVF, which would be almost totally financed by insurance. Their very first round of IVF went well, and the couple was hopeful. So hopeful, in fact, that Rob bought a home pregnancy test for Cheri the day before they were supposed to go in for official blood tests. Imagine how heartbroken they were when the HPT was negative!

Still, Cheri went in for her blood test, and she got a call a few hours later saying that she actually was pregnant! She was floored, and later, she and Rob found they were pregnant with twins. After several more weeks of anxious waiting to get through the first trimester, they finally were able to breathe and relax in their joyful pregnancy.

2. Travelling the World Over for Reproductive Help

For those who think that IVF is simply too expensive to mess with, maybe this story will inspire you. Elaine and her husband tried to conceive through various means for six years before they decided that they absolutely would have to try IVF. However, there was no way that they could afford the out-of-pocket costs of about $10,000 in the states. Luckily, Elaine’s brother-in-law, an Irishman, told them about how much less expensive the procedure was in his home country; it cost about $1,400.

So, they decided on a fertility vacation, and tried a single round of IVF in Ireland. Three days after they got home, Elaine found out that she was pregnant, and she later found that she was carrying twins. Although the couple had a rough pregnancy, everything turned out well, and resulted in a boy and a girl eight and a half months later.

1. Waiting for Ages IVF Success Story

Who among us hasn’t experienced that knife-in-the-stomach physical pain when she sees a new baby, just wishing it could be hers? This was something that Lorraine experienced frequently, especially since she started trying to get pregnant very early – at twenty-one! – and was unsuccessful for four years. With unexplained infertility, she and her husband tried several treatment options, none of which worked.

Finally, they were ready to move on to IVF. Lorraine tried to prepare herself by using complementary therapies like yoga, healthy eating, and acupuncture, which seemed to help. Her doctors were amazed that they retrieved nearly thirty healthy eggs after she responded exceptionally well to the medications. The doctors, unfortunately, were only able to get four of the eggs to fertilize, and they decided to transfer all four of them.

During her two week wait, Lorraine started feeling pregnancy symptoms. She was constantly running to the bathroom, and she had the strangest food cravings. Because of this, she moved her pregnancy blood test up, and was glad she did because she found out that she was pregnant!

For more stories of IVF Success sign up for our Free Email Mini-Course.

Save Costs in Israel

The first IVF baby was born in the United Kingdom in 1979.  Four years later, Israel had their first IVF baby.  Not only has Israel become one of the world leaders in assisted reproductive technology; a single IVF cycle will cost you a fraction of the price of IVF in the United States.  In Israel, treatments like IVF are not viewed as a luxury only rich people can enjoy; they are made available to all Israeli citizens through social health insurance.  For foreigners who’d like to get IVF done in Israel, the red tape bureaucracy is less complicated compared to other countries, making it easy for you to obtain the medical care you need.  The cost of living in Israel is also lower than in the US and Europe. Since lab fees and materials are less expensive and staff salaries are lower, you can minimize your costs while receiving world-class medical care.  An average rate of IVF in Israel is about $4,856, compared to the US where you can get an IVF for about $12,146.

Inexpensive IVF in The Czech Republic

Several American couples who have had IVF in the Czech Republic were so happy with their experiences that they set up their own travel agencies to help others come to the Czech Republic and get pregnant.  Like in Israel, the cost of living in the Czech Republic is lower than in the United States, allowing you to enjoy significant savings despite paying for your accommodations and travel expenses.  Signing up with a travel agency will also eliminate the hassle of finding cheap plane tickets and affordable hotels, as they usually offer vacation package deals with a planned itinerary.  Not only will your IVF cycle be all planned out; you and your partner can enjoy a relaxing vacation that includes spa treatments and tours around the Czech Republic or its neighboring countries. The average cost of IVF in The Czech Republic is around $4,500, and this price also includes travel coordination as well as treatments like ICSI and assisted hatching! Those special treatments, which can possibly increase your chance of success with IVF, cost thousands of dollars in addition to the cost of a regular IVF in the United States.

Consider Lower Prices of IVF in Spain

Spain is a popular medical tourism destination for UK couples frustrated with their own medical system.  It’s a cheap flight away from home, there are no long waiting lists for donor eggs or surrogates, there are no legal limitations to the number of embryos for transfer, and the medical care is just as excellent.  Many Spanish IVF clinics have ties to UK fertility centers so that couples can get the basic testing out of the way before they travel for the procedure itself. Those living in the United Kingdom might find it more convenient and cost-effective to get their IVF in Spain. It is also not a bad place to consider if you live in the United States. The average cost for an IVF in Spain using donor eggs is $8757.

For more tips about saving money on your IVF, please sign up for our IVF Success Program Mini-Course.

How Qigong Works

Qigong is a form of exercise that can be a little like yoga. The popular form of exercise, tai chi, is actually a form of qigong. Although the practice of qigong is related to martial arts, it is much less high impact. Some forms of qigong are relatively slow and stationary while others are more athletic. Any type of qigong can be helpful in boosting fertility and IVF success, though, especially because the practice can help significantly lower stress levels.

True practitioners of qigong say that it helps one to connect with energy from the environment and to stabilize and control energy in the body. Even if you don’t believe in such a philosophy, qigong can still be helpful to you as it has been proven to lower the physiological indicators of stress, including tension and high levels of certain hormones.

Qigong focuses on several different practices. The most basic practice in qigong that you can use even at your desk or while sitting around dreaming about your future baby is breathing. There are many different types of breathing exercises in qigong, some of which increase energy and some of which reduce stress. Qigong practice, like yoga and other similar practices, combines breathing with movement, which helps release anti-stress hormones in the body. Finally, qigong focuses on meditation and a mind-body connection that allows you to concentrate on your movements and breathing. Developing this type of mind-body connection through a practice like qigong can help you recognize when your stress levels are rising so that you can react in a way that lowers them.

How Qigong Can Assist Implantation with In Vitro Fertilization

Finding out how qigong actually affects IVF treatments is difficult, since qigong is a distinctly Eastern practice and IVF is very Western. However, we do know that qigong lowers stress levels and that lowered levels of stress make for more successful rounds of IVF. One study published in 2000 linked high levels of stress to failed IVF treatments, and another study released in 2005 showed that women with higher levels of adrenaline and cortisol – both of which signal physiological stress – in their urine after a round of IVF were less likely to have a successful pregnancy.

Although no direct studies of qigong and IVF success have been published to date, the links are most certainly there, and the Internet abounds with stories of women who were unsuccessful with their IVF attempts until they started practicing qigong. One qigong studio in Houston actually specializes in women’s health issues, and its site lists several success stories from women who were over the age of forty when they conceived naturally or through IVF after practicing qigong. Most of these women had tried rounds of IUI, Clomid, or IVF before trying qigong, which eventually made their pregnancies successful.

Where You Can Learn

Like other practices of its kind, qigong is very specific and is built on certain breathing and movement techniques. If you’re interested in learning qigong, it’s a good idea to find a teacher in your area at least until you learn the basics. Chances are likely that you can find group qigong classes nearby to your home, and after some time, you can practice at home on your own or with a good video. Qigong is effective enough at reducing stress that it can be helpful to you at any point during your IVF rounds, and it is gentle enough to be practiced even during early pregnancy.

For lots more information about how to increase your chances of a successful IVF, sign up for our free email mini-course from the IVF Success Program.

Susanna and Her Long Wait For IVF Success

When Susanna decided to try to get pregnant through IVF, she took a year off of her job as a schoolteacher, hoping to relax, practice yoga, and catch up on some things she’d always wanted to do but had never had the chance to do as she went through IVF. The journey, though, did not go as smoothly as she planned. After her first twenty-seven eggs were harvested, Susanna had to be hospitalized because of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome.

After several cycles of IVF and more complications, including an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in the removal of a tube, Susannah still didn’t get pregnant, and she had to go back to work. During the summer break a year later, she went through another stimulated cycle to harvest more eggs, and she actually got pregnant. Unfortunately, Susannah miscarried at just six weeks.

Finally, after three years, Susannah went through another IVF cycle, during which she was hypertimuated but had thirty-eight eggs harvested. After another hospital stay, Susannah and her husband tried another egg transfer. This one finally took, and Susannah carried this pregnancy full term and delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl. After long years of waiting and trying, she and her husband had finally found success through IVF.

Denae’s Acupuncture-Enhanced IVF Story

In 2000, Denae and her husband got married when she was nearly thirty and he was just over thirty. When they couldn’t conceive a child naturally, they found out that Denae had partial PCOS and deformed tubes, which meant that she could only get pregnant through ART. At first, they tried IUI, of which they did five cycles, and then they tried IVF.

After two years of ART treatments, Denae finally became pregnant, only to miscarry a month later. Instead of giving up, she and her husband went on vacation, where they became pregnant on their own. Unfortunately, the pregnancy, which the OB thinks was ectopic, miscarried, too.

In order to cope with her pain and to physically relax, Denae started seeing an acupuncturist. Denae says that the acupuncturist was who really helped her get through her journey mentally and physically, and apparently the acupuncture therapy did help because after another round of IVF, Denae became pregnant. When her HCG numbers weren’t rising correctly, Denae got worried but said that she went back to her acupuncturist to regain physical balance and mental calm.

Nine months later, Denae and her husband had their first child, a boy. Even though Denae had a rough pregnancy and an emergency c-section, she’s ready to try again. Though IVF isn’t an easy process and left Denae physically and emotionally exhausted at times, with the help of her supportive husband and her acupuncturist, she overcame it and is ready to try again for a sibling for her little boy.

For more inspiration and information to help you have a successful IVF, please sign up for our IVF Success Program email mini-course.

Follicular monitoring through ultrasound

Ultrasounds will play an important role in monitoring the growth of your follicles during the ovarian stimulation phase. The follicles are the fluid-filled sacs in the ovary which each contain a single immature egg. The start of the cycle begins with you taking hormone injections to trigger the maturation of several eggs. The eggs themselves cannot be inspected, but a good sign of their growth is the size of their follicles, which can be observed through the help of an ultrasound. A follicle is said to be mature by the time its growth reaches 7 or 8mm. All the doctor needs to do is count the number of mature follicles present, and you can already have a good idea of how your cycle may progress.

You can expect to come in to the clinic for ultrasounds every two to three days of the ovarian stimulation phase. Constant monitoring is important because it will set the date of the egg retrieval. As soon as the doctor is satisfied by the number of swollen follicles and their size, you will be given the go signal to take the hCG trigger shot. This will signal the follicles to release the eggs within 36 hours.

Egg retrieval and IVF embryo transfer

The egg retrieval and embryo transfer will also be guided through the help of an ultrasound. During the egg retrieval, a microsized hollow needle will be inserted through the vaginal walls and through the ovaries until it is located near a single swollen follicle. The follicular fluid (and the egg) are then sucked out through the needle. Don’t worry about the pain involved during the procedure; you will be given anesthesia and will stay unconscious throughout the retrieval.

The embryo transfer is far less complicated and will not require anesthesia or needles. A thin catheter containing the eggs will be inserted through your vagina and cervix until it reaches the upper middle portion of the uterus. This is said to be the best place for an embryo to implant. The embryos will then be slowly pushed out, and the catheter will be removed.

Ultrasound to confirm IVF pregnancy

The last ultrasound you will take during your IVF will occur two or three weeks after the transfer. This is perhaps the most highly-anticipated ultrasound you will have – the confirmation of pregnancy. Although you can easily take a urine test or blood test to see if you got pregnant, only an ultrasound can determine exactly how many babies you are carrying in your uterus. A view of the uterus can be obtained by passing the probe through the vagina (vaginal ultrasound) or over the abdomen (abdominal ultrasound). However, a vaginal ultrasound provides the best view of the uterus because of the shorter distance. At this point of the pregnancy, the fetus has yet to be formed, but the ultrasound can show the spot where the embryo has implanted.

The Risk of Lupron Side Effects during Your IVF

During your IVF cycle, you will be injecting yourself with a drug called Lupron. Lupron is designed to suppress your body’s natural hormone production so that the fertility drugs can do their job.  The drug’s suppression of your estrogen production places your body in a state of artificial menopause, and it’s very common to experience menopause-like symptoms at this stage. These include mood swings, headaches, hot flashes, and depression. Some women do not notice the side effects at all, but others find these problems to be uncomfortable and disruptive of their work performance and marital relationships.

You can avoid these unpleasant side effects by choosing an IVF protocol that uses a non-Lupron suppressant. Two such drugs are called Cetrocide and Ganirelix, which act faster than Lupron and are used for a shorter period of time.  If these drugs aren’t available at the clinic of your choice, you can take acupuncture treatments to ease the side effects of the standard long Lupron protocol.  Not only will acupuncture make the ovarian stimulation stage more bearable, it will also increase your chances of conceiving.

Genetic Risk Related to IVF?

One of the major concerns many parents-to-be have is the risk of birth defects and genetic abnormalities. Does IVF increase the risk of genetic problems?

Most experts agree that genetic risks are rare and affect only a small margin of IVF babies. The risk is greater for babies born to women over the age of 35. If you’d like to greatly reduce your chance of having a baby with a genetic problem, you can opt for a procedure called pre-implantation genetic testing (PGD).  PGD screens the embryos for common genetic defects to help the doctor select the healthiest ones for implantation before your IVF embryo transfer.

Financial Risk of IVF

Perhaps the biggest risk of an IVF is the financial one.  But who says you have to be financially destitute after your cycle?  Below are two options that will help you reduce the financial risk.

Shared risk program

Some fertility clinics with high success rates are so confident that they can get you pregnant, they will offer you a shared-risk payment option. Shared risk programs are offered by clinics or independent parties, and essentially mean that you will get some or all of your money back if you do not get pregnant after several IVF cycles.  Before signing up for a shared risk program, make sure you read the fine print and know exactly what you’re getting into.  Be aware of what is covered, what is not covered, how many cycles are included, and how much money you can get back.  Most shared risk programs offer to pay for the treatment but not for the fertility drugs, which can cost up to $3,000.

Do take note that shared risk programs are not always offered to everyone. In most cases, they are only available to “pre-qualified” patients who are likely to conceive during the first or second cycle.

IVF abroad

Countries like India, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates have world-class fertility clinics that offer IVF and other treatments at only a fraction of the cost of IVF in the US.  Even if you factor in your plane tickets and accommodations, getting your IVF done abroad will save you several thousand dollars and give you an opportunity to visit countries with rich cultural heritages.

For more information about ways to reduce your risks associated with IVF, please sign up for our IVF Success Program mini-course.

10. Grant programs

Some non-profit organizations award deserving couples with grants for IVF and related treatments.  Although the chances of getting an IVF grant are competitive and there are some strings attached, your odds of getting an IVF treatment for less through this method is zero if you don’t apply! The process for application for a grant usually involves writing an essay describing your infertility problems, proof of income, and other financial documents.  Those who get awarded the grant often have to do public relations work for the organization.  Some grants do not cover fertility medications and other extra treatments you may need to take.  You may also need to go to an out-of-state fertility clinic affiliated with the organization rather than a clinic of your choice. Still, a grant program is a great way to get IVF for far less than its regular cost.

9. Shared risk programs

If you are under the age of 37 and the clinic of your choice offers a shared risk program, don’t hesitate to send your application.  A shared risk program reduces your financial risk by giving some or all your money back if you don’t get pregnant.  Basically, you pay a certain amount, usually smaller than the cost of a regular IVF.  In exchange, you get a package deal with a certain amount of IVF cycles.  If you do not give birth to a healthy baby after all these cycles, the clinic returns your money.  Of course, there are a couple of drawbacks. First, not everyone can avail of a shared risk program. Clinics are businesses after all, and they will only choose pre-screened applicants who are likely to get pregnant after one or two cycles.  If do qualify for a shared risk program, make sure you read the fine print before signing. Know what the program covers, what it doesn’t cover, the number of cycles, and how much money you will be getting back if it fails.

8. Assisted hatching

Instead of signing up for multiple cycles, you can avail of additional technologies to increase your chances of getting pregnant now. One such approach is called assisted hatching.  The procedure is based on the fact that embryos do not implant until the sixth day; until then, the embryo develops within its tough outer shell, or zona pellucida.  On day six, the zona pellucida thins naturally, allowing the embryo to “hatch” and implant itself onto the uterine wall.  Many experts believe that the embryo’s inability to break out of the zona pellucida is the reason why many IVF cycles end without a pregnancy.  Assisted hatching may cost several hundred dollars more, but a successful pregnancy through the help of technology may save you a lot more money in the long run by reducing your need to sign up for additional IVF cycles to achieve pregnancy .

7. ICSI

Another procedure that can help you conceive during your first try is intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.  Basically, ICSI is a fancy way of saying “injecting a sperm into the middle of an egg” and making sure most eggs become embryos. With micro-sized tools and a powerful microscope, an embryologist will pick up a single healthy sperm using a tiny hollow needle.  The needle is then carefully inserted through the egg’s outer shell. Once inside, the sperm is introduced into the cytoplasm or inner part of the egg.  75-85% ICSI eggs eventually develop into healthy, viable embryos, even among couples suffering from male factor infertility.

6. PGD

Sometimes, IVF cycles fail because the embryos that were transferred were genetically incapable of sustaining normal development. To prevent this from happening, you can avail of an embryo screening test called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).  PGD is done by removing a single cell from a 3-day embryo to test for specific genetic abnormalities that can prevent proper implantation and growth. This allows your embryologist to select the healthiest embryos for transfer. Like assisted hatching and ICSI, PGD will entail additional costs – as much as $4,500 if you get it done in the United States. In other countries, PGD does not get any more expensive than $2,000.  It may be especially worth it to include this  procedure if you get your IVF done abroad, if you have suffered repeated miscarriages, or if there are known genetic defects in your family history.

5. Clinical trials

Participating in clinical trials is a great way to receive IVF for low or no costs, or to experience new technologies in reproductive health.  There are hundreds of clinical trials conducted each year, and clinics will always need patients to participate in them.  Clinicaltrials.gov has an extensive list of trials in need of participants. Before you sign the dotted line, make sure the purpose of the trial has been explained in detail, including the suspected side effects and risks.  Check if the project has been reviewed and approved by a Review Board at the hospital, medical school, or clinic involved.  Some tests may require a small payment, so ask if there are any additional fees required.

4. Multiple cycle packages

While it’s not uncommon for patients to get pregnant during their first cycle, most get to take home a baby after their second or third try.  Instead of paying for the full amount the second time around, see if the clinic offers a multiple cycle package at a discounted rate.  The number of cycles, rates, and plans vary from clinic to clinic, and may require additional fees for the cryopreservation or freezing of the embryos.  You will also have to accomplish the additional cycles within a timeframe of 12-16 months.  If your chances of conceiving right away look small, availing of a multiple cycle package is one way to get the succeeding cycles for less.

3. Minimal stimulation

In a traditional IVF cycle, at least $4,000 goes to the medications need to stimulate multiple egg production.  These fertility drugs contain a man-made form of the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which allows the release of 12 or more eggs per cycle.  On the other hand, a minimal stimulation IVF cycle does away with the injectible FSH and uses a generic fertility drug called clomiphene citrate, which only costs $11 per cycle.  Instead of introducing FSH into the bloodstream, clomiphene citrate stimulates the pituitary gland to produce FSH and trigger the maturation of up to six viable eggs per cycle.  While fewer eggs mean fewer embryos and a lower chance of conceiving, younger couples with otherwise healthy eggs and sperm have had no trouble getting pregnant through a minimal stimulation IVF.

2. Natural cycle

Did you know that the world’s first IVF baby Louise Brown was born through a natural cycle?  Unlike minimal stimulation, natural cycle IVF makes no use of fertility drugs at all – it only involves collecting and fertilizing the one egg you naturally release during your monthly cycle. Natural cycles are sometimes cheaper than minimal stimulation because you won’t need to shoulder the cost of preserving the remaining eggs.  However, you are better off with a minimal stimulation cycle if you have irregular periods and problems ovulating normally.

1. Medical tourism

If you’ve always wanted to go on an exotic vacation but never had the time, why not hit two birds with one stone and get your IVF done abroad?  Even with transportation and lodging, the cost of IVF abroad is about 50-80 percent cheaper than the cost in the UK and the USA.  Doctors in India, Thailand, Mexico, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East use the same cutting-edge technology and medical knowledge, but charge far less due to the lower cost of living.  In fact, medical tourism for infertility treatments is now a chic option for travel-savvy couples, with many available package deals for airfare, lodging, and the IVF treatment itself.

2007 Statistics on IVF

Since it takes a while for researchers to compile and interpret statistics, the latest statistics published on IVF success rates come from 2007. The respected Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology website has comprehensive, nationwide statistics about different aspects of IVF and other ART procedures, but we’ll focus on a few of the more important ones. For example, nationally, women who are under the age of thirty-five have a 45.8% chance of getting pregnant in a single cycle, and for all women undergoing treatment in the U.S.A. under age 40, the pregnancy success rate per cycle is nearly 40%.

Factors most affecting IVF success include age and the relative health of the participants involved. In particular, women over the age of forty experience a significant drop-off in success rates. Nationwide, women undergoing a single cycle of the IVF procedure that were 41-42 years of age resulted in pregnancies only 18.5% of the time.

If at first these numbers seem discouraging, take heart. The most important indicator of success is the total reproductive success rate (TRS). Most patients try multiple cycles in order to increase their chances. This is a very common way for couples to ultimately get pregnant and give birth. And the success rates can climb over 50% when multiple cycle attempts are factored in. Many clinics tout percentages reaching 55-60% when employing multiple cycles into the plan.

SART also provides stats on the number of multiple births. Participants have roughly one chance in ten of giving birth to twins after an IVF cycle. And, not surprisingly, the older women are, the more likely they are to miscarry. About 6% of the women under thirty-five who got pregnant from IVF miscarried, but that rate was between 7% and 8% for women between the ages of thirty-five and forty-two.

Ways to Increase the Odds

There are many ways that you can enhance your chances of success with IVF. Although not all of these techniques will be well understood or carefully followed by your doctor, they all have significant and promising research to back them up. Plus, they’re all non-invasive and far less expensive than traditional ART treatments, so the wise IVF candidate would do well to explore them as viable options for your success.

One of the main ways that you can enhance your odds of getting pregnant through any type of treatment is to reduce stress. According to Therapy Today, women with high levels of cortisol – a hormone that signals stress – are much less likely to get pregnant but that when cortisol is reduced, their chances of a viable pregnancy rise significantly. Stress relief also helps improve sperm quality according to the Indian Journal of Medical Research.

Two other promising complementary treatments are myofascial release and acupuncture. Myofascial release is a special form of soft tissue massage that can release adhesions from scar tissue in the abdomen; one study showed that two-thirds of women who used myofascial release – also known as the Wurn technique – became pregnant. Acupuncture, which relieves stress, improves blood flow, and may help regulate hormones, increases the odds of IVF success, too. In one study, women who underwent acupuncture right before and after a single round of IVF were 43% likely to become pregnant.

These alternative therapies show great promise in enhancing any woman’s chances of becoming pregnant through IVF. If you’re interested in these complementary therapies, you should contact specialists on your own or find a clinic that weaves alternative therapies in with its more traditional ART offerings, as more and more clinics are doing today.

However, the gynecological condition called endometriosis damages your reproductive system by scarring the affected area or by causing blockages resulting from abnormal endometrium growth—the tissue that grows outside your womb. If your tubes are blocked, there is no way for the egg to reach your womb or for the sperm to get to it. But even if endometriosis does not wreak havoc on your tubes or ovaries, it can still affect your fertility in other ways. When any of these things happen, getting pregnant naturally becomes more challenging.

IVF does not reverse the endometrial damage but rather circumvents it. Through a surgery called diagnostic laparoscopy, your physician can extract and isolate your eggs from your ovaries and fertilize them in a petri or lab dish with your partner’s sperm. After a few days, the fertilized eggs (embryos) can be placed into your womb by a special catheter. If the rest of the embryonic development goes well, you’re on your way to becoming a mom.

Compliment your IVF with alternative therapies

IVF may sound easy. But in reality, it can be very taxing on you and your partner. Many women who have gone through it have also gone through previous failed attempts from using the same or another Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). Whether or not it’s your first attempt at IVF, adopting an alternative complementary therapy can do wonders for a successful pregnancy.

Alternative therapy is a natural way of optimizing your reproductive function by improving your overall and sexual health through a new or changed lifestyle or treatment. Such improvements will equip you in facing IVF challenges better. But what alternative therapies can be good for you? Below are some examples:

1) Acupuncture

This perhaps is the most famous and oldest eastern alternative therapy in the world. It involves piercing specific points of your body with very fine needles to stimulate healing nerve impulses. Despite using needles, acupuncture is an almost pain-free procedure with barely any side effects.

Clinical trials have found that when applied alongside IVF, acupuncture helps women feel more relaxed. Other studies indicate that half the women who undergo this therapy become pregnant through IVF. What’s more, they increase their protection against miscarriage and stillbirth in contrast to those who do not utilize the therapy. Even women with polycystic ovararian syndrome (PCOS) have reported that acupuncture has improved their ovulation cycle.

Other benefits include:

a. Reduction of stress hormones that affect ovulation.

b. Stabilization of hormonal balance which helps egg production.

c. Increased blood flow to the uterus which is beneficial to egg implantation.

In your partner has male factor issues, his hormonal imbalance can be corrected by acupuncture, which will help improve his fertility. Acupuncture can also improve pelvic blood flow, increasing his sperm count.

2) Reflexology

This is another technique that will be a good compliment to your IVF treatment. In reflexology, pressure is applied to reflex points in your feet, believed to be linked to your body’s organs. Reflexology is most useful as a stress inhibitor. It helps your body relax and secrete more endorphins, also known as the feel-good hormone. Aiding blood circulation, regulating hormonal imbalance and menstruation are other benefits that make reflexology an ideal therapy for women with endometriosis or PCOS.

3) Homeopathy

This therapy is done by giving you minute doses of certain extracts to produce symptoms in you similar to those of the disease you wish to overcome. Such method is thought to enhance the body’s natural defenses. Because the extracts are administered in very small quantities, homeopathy is considered as one of the safest medical treatments without side effects. Your individual, family, medical, sexual, and emotional histories are likewise gathered thoroughly, before the actual therapy begins. Experts say homeopathy can effectively treat infertility.

Any of these therapies can be good for you, with your physician’s approval. More importantly, whichever one you choose, make sure you go only to a qualified, trained, and licensed practitioner, to reap maximum benefits and to avoid any harm.

Setting a Budget

Sometimes, couples are so driven to become pregnant that they spend every last dime they have on IVF, which is stressful and unnecessary for most people. Before you start out on this tough journey, sit down with your partner and discuss your limits. This way, you won’t feel the need to keep going beyond what you can reasonably afford, and you may be able to discuss other options just in case.

When you do set your budget, be sure that you incorporate all of the costs. Obviously, you’ll want to start out with the basic costs for IVF. Different clinics will have different payment options and charges, so be sure that you find a clinic that can balance quality and affordability. Other than this, you need to find out about the costs of medications involved with IVF, which make up a huge percentage of the overall cost of each cycle. Also, you’ll need to factor in your costs for time lost at work, the costs of travel to and from the clinic, and the costs of any complementary therapies you’ve decided to try, such as acupuncture sessions, and yoga or qigong classes.

Decide How to Pay

Before you get started with IVF, it’s important to decide how you’ll pay. Maybe you can pay for one cycle outright but will have to finance the others, or maybe you don’t have enough savings to pay for anything right off the bat. Be aware that many clinics offer payment plans, which can be a good way to pay for your infertility treatments without technically going into debt; many of these plans are even interest-free, which can be a boon.

Besides this, some clinics are now offering packages for multiple cycles of IVF, which make each cycle less expensive. You may also try a shared risk program in which you get some of your money back if you don’t get pregnant, usually after three cycles. Be sure that you read the fine print on these programs, though, since some of them won’t refund your money if you carry your pregnancy past a certain number of weeks and then miscarry.

Another option is to find an insurance company that will offer IVF insurance. In some states, companies that have a certain number of employees have to offer this type of coverage along with their basic maternity coverage, but this doesn’t hold true everywhere. Even if you don’t live in one of these states, you can search for private insurance companies where you can purchase IVF insurance. Using this type of insurance probably means you’ll have to wait a few more months or years before you can use the plan to cover IVF, but it will spread the cost out over time, ultimately making the process more affordable.

Finally, you can always take out a loan to cover your IVF treatments. Many couples will max out their credit cards, but this can be pretty tricky because this is such high-interest debt. Unsecured personal loans are the next best option, although they, too, have fairly high interest rates and may sink you in interest payments for decades. If you own your own home and actually have some equity built up in it, you may consider taking out a home equity loan, which will be your lowest-interest borrowing option.

As you can see, there are many options for paying for IVF treatments, and you just have to look at all of them closely before deciding which options are right for you.

The estradiol test

Estradiol is an estrogen secreted by ovarian follicles when they grow.  The estradiol test is usually taken on the third day of the menstrual cycle, along with the day 3 FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) test.  This is due to the fact that estradiol levels vary according to the stage of your menstrual cycle.  Analyzing your estradiol levels on day three will give your doctor a baseline view of your ovarian reserve and confirm the results of the FSH test.

The estradiol test will be performed by obtaining a blood sample from your elbow or the back of your hand. The results should be available in several days. What you want to see on the third day are low FSH levels along with low estradiol levels (less than 80 pg/mL).  Some evidence suggests that a high estradiol level and a normal FSH level might suggest a problem with your ovarian reserves. While this may be true, it is also possible that high levels of estrogen might mask the potential for evaluating ovarian reserves, because it suppresses the FSH level and keeps it in the normal range.

Treatment options for high levels of estradiol

Try not to worry too much if your estradiol test shows levels greater than 80 pg/mL. Optional treatments can increase your chances of a successful IVF cycle despite having low ovarian reserves.  Here are your options:

Lupron flare protocol

Chances are, your estradiol levels might make you a poor responder to ovarian stimulating drugs.  You might only develop three to six follicles despite receiving aggressive doses of fertility drugs, which is still not enough to increase your chances of pregnancy. The Lupron flare protocol is an effective way of inducing multiple ovulation in low response patients.  During this protocol, you will begin the Lupron shots on the second day of the cycle where the eggs will be retrieved, as opposed to starting them one week before the cycle.  The aim is to take advantage of the FSH and LH “flare” that normally happens three days after taking the first Lupron shot. Taking Lupron longer than three days will put your pituitary gland to sleep so it produces low amounts of FSH and LH. On the third day (the next day), you will receive an FSH product to help Lupron stimulate the increase of FSH and LH. This will help the follicles flare up to increase the available eggs for retrieval and fertilization.

Assisted hatching

Aside from poor ovarian reserve, an estradiol test can indicate eggs with poor morphology or problems with fertilization and maturation.  IVF with assisted hatching can increase the embryo’s ability to implant itself successfully.  This technique involves drilling a tiny hole in the zona or outer shell of the embryo in order to facilitate efficient cell division and development.  The “hatched” embryos will then be transferred into your uterus where they will ideally implant themselves.  Assisted hatching is known to increase the implantation rate and pregnancy rate among women with high FSH levels.

Donor eggs

If assisted hatching does not work, you might want to consider using donor eggs.  Although age can affect the quality of your eggs, it will not affect your ability to sustain a pregnancy. Women with diminished ovarian reserves have found success getting pregnant using donor eggs when using their own eggs didn’t work out.  The egg donor can be someone you know or an anonymous donor from a donor bank or your clinic. During the cycle, you will have to take a regimen of medications – Lupron to suppress your ovaries, and estrogen supplements to develop a thick uterine lining.  Meanwhile, the egg donor will take fertility drugs to stimulate the growth of multiple eggs.  This will allow the doctor to do an IVF procedure with the donor’s eggs and with the sperm of your partner.  The embryos will then be transferred into your womb.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can do so many wonders for infertility and is a popular complement to traditional fertility treatments.  In IVF, acupuncture can reduce the side effects of Lupron, improve the quality of the endometrial lining, and increase egg quantity.  The latter two effects are caused by acupuncture’s ability to increase the blood flow to the uterus and ovaries; as long as they receive a healthy supply of nutrients and hormones from the blood, the eggs should grow well.  A specific acupuncture technique can also help the follicles grow at a more uniform rate. If one ovary has smaller follicles than the other, acupuncture can help them catch up and mature, which increases the number of eggs for the retrieval.

For best results, acupuncture treatments should be done once or twice a week, two to three months before the IVF cycle starts.  Look for an acupuncturist who specializes in treating infertility problems so you can experience a treatment that works.

Stress reduction

Stress can affect the hormonal balance in your body and interfere with egg production.  While there’s no denying that IVFs are emotionally exhausting and expensive, try to find some time to relax and take your mind off things.  Indulge in a day at the spa, take a day off work to catch up on your new book, or spend some relaxing time with good friends – whatever it takes to minimize your stress level. Not only will this boost your fertility; it will enhance your overall well-being too.

Diet and supplements

Did you know that the food you eat has an impact on your fertility? Before your cycle begins, lower your simple carbohydrate consumption and make sure your meals include small servings of protein-rich foods.  Some studies show that this type of diet prevents your ovaries from becoming over-stimulated due to fertility medications.  Supplement your diet with a good prenatal vitamin to provide the nutrients needed for good egg health and a nutrient-rich endometrial lining.   Try taking other supplements too, such as co-enzyme Q10 (protects the eggs from free-radical damage)and omega-3 fatty acids (provides the structural elements of egg cells).

Exercise

Strenuous exercise may have a negative impact on IVF outcomes, but mild exercise from yoga or gentle walking oxygenates the blood and increases the blood flow to the reproductive system.  It will also stave off the side effects of fertility drugs and reduce the water retention caused by Lupron.

Costs of IVF Abroad

Let’s compare the costs of IVF in the United States and abroad.  One basic IVF cycle in the United States will cost anywhere from $10,000 – $15,000. This fee does not include optional treatments like ICSI or pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.  On the other hand, you can expect to pay as low as $3,000 for one IVF cycle in India and Thailand. Semen analysis and other tests can cost as low as $10-20.  IVF rates are slightly higher in the Middle East at $6,000.  Of course, these fees do not cover your transportation costs and living expenses, but you can easily save money on those by taking advantage of cheap plane tickets or staying with a friend.  Some hospitals also provide packaged deals that include the IVF treatments, accommodations, transportation, and an English-speaking guide.  Even with the logistics of IVF abroad, you will still end up saving a few thousand dollars than if you chose to have your IVF in the United States.

Try not to be fooled by the low costs of fertility treatments abroad – the saying “you get what you pay for” does not apply here.  The quality of IVF in Asia is just as excellent as IVF in the West, if not better.  The only reason why IVF fees are so low is because the standard of living in these countries is much lower.  However, the quality of medical care abroad is no different than that of hospitals back home.  Doctors of the best IVF clinics receive training in US medical schools, and their clinics follow the same stringent standards, sophisticated technologies, and protocols as Western IVF clinics.  Besides the high quality of medical care you’ll be receiving, hospital staff abroad tend to provide more hospitality and warmth than you would normally find in local fertility clinics.

Success rates

The success rates of IVF clinics abroad also hinge upon the same factors: the type of infertility, the number of eggs available for transfer, your age, and the quality of the egg and sperm. In India and Thailand, there is no limit to the number of embryos that can be transferred, thereby increasing your chances for a successful cycle (although great caution should be used with this option, as multiple pregnancies pose their own dangers).  In the United Arab Emirates, fertility centers need to have a 15% annual success rate if they are to remain operational.

While the drug is relatively harmless, Lupron tends to make women experience menopause-like symptoms because of the crash in estrogen levels.  The side effects of Lupron vary from woman to woman; some women go through a cycle without feeling any discomfort, while others experience the full regalia of menopause symptoms – nausea, hot flashes, burning sensations, etc.  The intensity and duration of the side effects also vary. Most women no longer feel them once they stop taking Lupron. Although you cannot stop taking Lupron until your doctor says so, there are ways to reduce its side effects.

Acupuncture

Aside from increasing the number of mature eggs and enhancing the overall success of the IVF cycle, acupuncture can also suppress the side effects of Lupron, particularly the hot flashes. Experts are not sure if this happens because acupuncture makes you relaxed or if it is the result of treatment itself. In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try, and a number of insurance plans cover acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.

Exercise

Never underestimate exercise’s ability to affect your overall well-being.  Anecdotal evidence shows that exercise can improve the whole gamut of Lupron side effects, from the mood swings to the sleep disturbances.  Try exercise for thirty minutes a day, but don’t over-exert yourself. Practices like yoga and gentle walking are good choices.

Flaxseed oil

Milled flax and flaxseed oil contain substances that reduce hot flashes and breast pain if used every day. Flaxseed also contains omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that aids in mood stabilization because of its effects on neuronal functions.

Deep breathing techniques

Depression and other uncomfortable side effects of Lupron can also be reduced by relaxation techniques and deep-breathing exercises.  Try this deep breathing technique whenever you feel a hot flash coming:  breath slowly through your noise and count from one to five. Exhale slowly through your mouth, counting again from one to five.

Valerian root tea

Valerian root tea is an herbal remedy that helps relieve anxiety and induces relaxation. This is a good tonic to help you get through any stressful time and it also has been known to boost fertility. Consult your doctor before you take any herbal remedies.

Melatonin

Insomnia is a troublesome side effect to deal with, but melatonin can help you sleep on time.  Melatonin is the hormone produced by the body to trigger sleepiness at night.  It is available in small doses and can help you get back to your regular sleep patterns.

Prepare your body, mind, and spirit

Most women, especially those who have never experienced surgery, are nervous about taking anesthesia and any unknown effects the procedure might bring. Try not to spend too much time worrying about it.  As surgeries go, this one is very minor and the pain involved is generally minimal.

Make sure you take your multivitamins and eat well before and throughout your entire cycle.  Although your doctor will put you on a regimen of antibiotics to prevent infections from setting in, your best defense is still a strong immune system and a well-nourished body.   Eating a diet that contains only foods that are low on the glycemic index and drinking three liters of water a day is also known to prevent OHSS and the dehydration that often comes with it. Also, do not neglect having a small serving of protein with most of your meals. And, eating 4-6 smaller meals, rather than 3 large ones, is better for your system.

During the days before the egg retrieval, you might start feeling bloated and uncomfortable.  This is because the many mature follicles are making your ovaries swell, causing minor discomfort.  Consider taking a day or two before the egg retrieval to rest and relax; your body is under a lot of stress and you need to take this time to calm your mind and spirit. During your days off, pamper yourself by curling up with a good book, going to an acupuncture session, or taking a relaxing walk in a peaceful environment.  This will help keep your mind off of your worries and reduce the emotional stress you must be experiencing.

Get you support system ready

Before the egg retrieval begins, you will be given anesthesia so you can sleep throughout the entire procedure. It might take you hours to recover from the sedative effects of the drug, which means you may not be able to perform basic tasks for the rest of the day.  Ask your partner to take a leave from work so that you can have a ride to and from the fertility clinic; you certainly won’t be in any shape to drive right after the procedure. It also helps to do your chores in advance, cook the day’s meal ahead of time, or have a friend, family member, or hired help nearby who won’t mind doing small errands for you.

Have fun and relax

In a few days, the retrieved eggs will develop into embryos, and you will be called back into the clinic for the embryo transfer.  You’re probably excited and anxious about this, but try not to get carried away by your feelings.  Studies show that lower levels of stress can increase implantation success, but do you really need a reason to have fun and relax before the big day?  Call up friends you haven’t seen in months, take a relaxing day trip with your partner to a place you both enjoy, or go to a new movie release – whatever it takes to make you feel happy and calm before the last stretch of your cycle.

History of Acupuncture

Long before the written word immortalized the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture was already being used to treat a number of chronic illnesses.  The practice reached the West in the 1900s, first in France, until the whole of Europe began using it as an alternative treatment for a number of maladies.  America ignored acupuncture until they become more informed about Chinese culture and medicine after President Richard Nixon’s state visit to China in the 1970s. The first acupuncture clinic opened in Washington in 1972 and today, the practice is widely available in over 46 states.

Acupuncture involves inserting thin, sterilized needles into specific acupuncture points all over the body. Acupuncture points are placed along certain meridians or pathways so that the body’s natural life energy, or Chi, can reach the organs and help them function.  According to traditional Chinese medicine, chronic conditions like depression and infertility are caused by obstructions in the meridians.  These obstructions can be removed by stimulating pressure points with needles, thus restoring good health, fertility, and normal bodily functions.

What makes acupuncture particularly attractive is that it offers highly personalized treatments that will address your specific problem areas. Practitioners of Chinese medicine believe that no two women have the exact same experience of infertility and IVF, and that each woman should have a unique treatment protocol that addresses her unique needs.  This is probably why acupuncture is highly recommended by fertility clinics to increase the chances of IVF success and to reduce the side effects of fertility drugs.  

Acupuncture and IVF

The first large-scale, long-term study was done by a German research group.  The results of the study caused quite a stir among reproductive experts, for it showed that the success rates of IVF went up by almost 50% among women who received acupuncture treatments.  In the study, short acupuncture treatments were administered before and after the embryo transfer.  However, the study did not show exactly why acupuncture worked or the most effective method for IVF – it simply answered whether acupuncture could help women going through IVF.

Since then, a number of studies have been able to verify the results.  Published research in the journal Fertility and Sterility observed higher pregnancy rates among IVF patients who received acupuncture, as compared to the control group who received a placebo treatment.  A number of anecdotal evidence also reports that acupuncture reduced the side effects of fertility drugs and helped them relax during the anxiety-filled two week wait before the pregnancy test.

The protocols used in these studies are a highly simplified version of actual acupuncture practices used for IVF. For best results, you should start seeing an acupuncturist once or twice a week, at least two or three months before the start of your cycle.  Once you start taking fertility drugs, you may see the acupuncturist at least two times a week in order to suppress some of the side effects.  It is also recommended that you receive an acupuncture treatment once before the embryo transfer, and once right after.

While a baby is priceless, it makes no sense to spend so much money on a cycle when there are ways to keep IVF costs low. Consider the cost-effectiveness of these options and weigh them carefully before making a decision.

Medical tourism

Did you know that you can lounge around a gorgeous tropical beach while completing your IVF cycle? And that doing so will cost far less than IVF in the United States? Countries like India, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates offer IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies using the same equipment and the same quality of service and expertise you can find back home. In fact, major IVF clinics in these countries even have better facilities than many American clinics! Although the cost of IVF will depend on your infertility and the medications you need to take, you can expect to pay anywhere from the equivalent of $3,000-$6,000 USD per cycle. Some clinics also offer packaged deals that include accommodations, English-speaking guides, and airport pick-ups. Even with the travel expenses involved, you will be paying far less than you would for an IVF cycle in the United States.

Minimal stimulation IVF

While there is a lot of sense in using fertility drugs to make you produce more eggs in one cycle, there are also several drawbacks to this approach. The side effects can be uncomfortable, it places you at risk for a multiple pregnancy, and it increases the overall amount you will pay. You can greatly reduce the cost of your fertility drugs by opting for minimal stimulation IVF (MS IVF). With MS IVF, you’ll only be taking an oral fertility drug called Clomiphene Citrate, which is inexpensive and has less severe side effects then the drugs used for a conventional IVF. Although you’ll only produce one or two eggs per cycle, doctors believe that the egg quality is superior because the ovarian stimulation approach is far gentler. The success rate of this approach seems to be particularly good among women younger than 35 who have no ovulation problems. The average cost of an MS IVF cycle in the United States is only $4,800.

Grant programs for IVF

A number of non-profit organizations offer grants for IVF cycles and other infertility treatment costs. Why not try to apply for a grant? There are some strings attached; however, receiving a grant can reduce your IVF costs by as much as $10,000. Below are some organizations that might be able to help.

Fertile Dreams

Established in 2006, Fertile Dreams selects several couples based on their financial need and application and will grant them $10,000 for IVF at any program in the US. To apply, you will have to write a short essay describing your history of infertility, financial need, and personal situation. Included in the application is proof of income and other financial documents. The winners will be used by the organization for public relations and media exposure, so only apply if you are willing to participate on this level.

International Council for Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID)

INCIID is a non-profit organization that has arrangements for a number of US IVF clinics to donate their facilities and services for deserving applicants. While the program will cover basic IVF expenses, there are a few requirements. Before you can apply, you have to pay a $55 membership fee. If you are awarded the grant, you may have to travel out of state to reach the fertility clinic (you cannot choose your own). You will also have to raise $3,000 with the help of your family and friends to become an INCIID goodwill ambassador. Still, the program is fairly generous and will help ease your financial burden.