What precautions should be taken after an in vitro fertilisation attempt?
Q: I am a 32 years old female, underwent an embryo implantation two days back through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). What precautions or care should I take during this period till pregnancy is confirmed? Please give some dietary suggestions.
A:There are no special precautions. The success of the procedures is not related to what you do or do not do so there is no need for any precautions. The success depends on a lot of factors mainly involving the quality of the embryo and the medical management so far. So if things do not work out, there are many reasons but none involve the lady herself. Please continue normal healthy life style and hope thing go ok. In case they do, and I wish you all the best it is not because you did something right, alternately nothing that you do wrong can cause problems. Every IVF clinic has a protocol, which I am sure you have been told what all drugs to take and what not. So, you have to follow what you have been told by your produtreating physician right now. Please continue you normal life including housework, paid employment, travel, sex etc. as you would if you had conceived with normal sex and do not even know about it thus far. Diet at this stage, or periconceptional nutrition, is considered increasingly important nowadays. Nothing special is required you have to take healthy balanced diet including fruits vegetable nuts animal proteins and dairy products. You will also require supplements with folic acid 400 microgram daily. It is also recommended that you need 10 microgram of vitamin D3 which unfortunately is not available in India but you can get it in many multivitamin tablets, all this is required even in normal natural conceptions. A typical healthy diet could be like follows: (you could carry it into the pregnancy for most part of the pregnancy except in early pregnancy if you have too much nausea taking some of these foods may not be possible):
- 50 gm of animal protein (cheese/ white meat from fish or poultry / meat / two eggs)
- 600 ml of milk in any form (milk products - curds and cheese are better than milk as milk)
- 5 fresh fruits daily
- Vegetables both cooked and uncooked
- A bowl of lentils daily
- A handful of nuts
- Dates and figs (Kaalaa anjeer)
- No high calorie meals, avoid raw fats and sugars I wish you all the best for the cycle and I hope all is well and your attempt is successful.