Starting an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) journey is a big decision. Most couples naturally focus on the clinical aspects- the hormone injections, blood tests, and medical schedules. However, how you prepare your body and mind in the weeks leading up to your treatment cycle plays a vital role in optimizing your response and supporting your overall well-being. A few practical steps before your cycle begins can help you feel more informed, organised and supported throughout treatment. Here's what you can consider before starting your IVF journey.
Physical Preparation Before Starting IVF
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight Before IVF
This is not about looks. It's about biology. Being significantly overweight or underweight directly affects hormone levels and how your ovaries respond to stimulation. Even a modest change — losing or gaining 5 to 7 kilograms before starting — can improve your response to treatment. Your doctor will advise you on your ideal range. Listen to them.
2. Stop Smoking and Avoid Alcohol
Not "reduce." Stop. Smoking damages egg quality and reduces IVF success rates significantly. Alcohol disrupts hormone levels. Even occasional drinking during a cycle is not worth the risk. If your partner smokes, they need to stop too. Secondhand smoke affects you. And sperm quality in male smokers is measurably worse.
3. Take Folic Acid Before Your IVF Cycle
Folic acid is important before and during early pregnancy because it helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing baby. A daily supplement containing 400 micrograms is generally recommended for people planning pregnancy. Some women may need a higher dose depending on their medical history or risk factors. Ask your doctor which dose is appropriate for you.
4. Follow a Balanced and Nutritious Diet
You don't need a special "IVF diet." You need basics done well: More vegetables, lentils, whole grains, eggs, and lean protein Less processed food, fried food, and sugar. Cut down on tea and coffee — two cups a day maximum and drink enough water. Nepali home cooking — dal, vegetables, whole grains — is actually very good for fertility. You don't need to change your entire diet. Just clean it up.
5. Prioritise Sleep and Rest
Seven to eight hours of sleep is not optional during IVF preparation. Poor sleep raises cortisol — a stress hormone that interferes with the hormones that control your cycle. If you're struggling to sleep, address it before your cycle starts, not during.
6. Reduce Intense Exercise During IVF
Exercise during IVF depends on the stage of treatment. Gentle activities such as walking may be suitable for many patients. However, as the ovaries enlarge during stimulation, your fertility specialist may advise avoiding high-impact exercise, heavy lifting and activities involving sudden twisting. Always follow your clinic's instructions, particularly around egg retrieval.
Mental and Emotional Preparation for IVF
Understand the IVF Process Before Starting Treatment
Anxiety lives in uncertainty. The more clearly you understand each stage of your IVF cycle, the less the unknown will frighten you. Ask your doctor to walk you through the entire process before you start. Write down questions. Ask until you fully understand.
Decide Who You Want to Share Your IVF Journey With
One of the most draining parts of IVF is managing other people's questions and opinions. Before your cycle starts, decide together who you will tell and what you will share. Having this decided in advance removes a whole layer of stress mid-cycle.
Focus on What You Can Control
You can control your sleep, your food, your stress levels, and your medication schedule. You cannot control how many eggs your ovaries produce, whether fertilisation happens, or whether the embryo implants. Trying to mentally force those outcomes doesn't work. It only exhausts you. Focus on what is in your hands and let your medical team handle the rest.
Plan Activities to Support Your Emotional Wellbeing During the Two-Week Wait
The two weeks between embryo transfer and your pregnancy test is the hardest part of IVF emotionally. Plan something small but enjoyable for that period — a day out, a film you've wanted to watch, time with someone who makes you laugh. It won't remove the anxiety. But it gives you something to hold onto.
Communicate Openly With Your Partner
Agree now on how you will communicate if things get hard. Agree that you will tell each other when you're struggling instead of going quiet. This one conversation — before the cycle begins — prevents a lot of damage later.
The Honest Truth
Preparation matters. But no amount of perfect preparation guarantees a result. What it does is give you the best possible chance — and it gives you the knowledge that you did everything within your control. That matters more than people realise when they're sitting with a difficult result.
If you're ready to start your IVF journey, talk to our team first. We'll make sure you go in prepared.
📞 9802352811 📍 Sinamangal, Kathmandu 🌐 hardikivfcenter.com
