7 Must Do's to Survive Your 2WW (two week-wait) During IVF

I am a member of the “1 in 8” Infertility Club. Really. After trying to conceive the “natural way” for almost 2 years and finding out that the only way to motherhood, in my case, was IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), no other way, it was really hard and devastating to hear.

So, I went along with my husband through five cycles of IVF to be able to conceive; from those five cycles, one was cancelled, one was a miscarriage and one was my stillbirth baby girl Isabelle at 39 weeks, the other two are my girls Eliyah and Maya.

Yes - Infertility sucks! But Infertility and all my struggles through it, not only taught us (me and my husband) a lot, but also inspired me to open up about the pain and start coaching other women and couples walking the same path. It also inspired me to write a book “The IVF Planner”, a valuable read for anyone going through IVF. I truly recommend having a planner during this time, because trust me, keeping up with the daily medical dosages during an IVF cycle is challenging. This resource helps you not only manage the admin but also relieves some of the stress that comes with it. It is also a way to write your own story during this time, and one day be able to show your rainbow baby what a bumpy but incredible journey it was to bring them into the world. 

I realized that a planner is not only a journal but also can be a unique and personal coaching tool.

Based on my own IVF Journey, I also learned that stress is one of the biggest and most difficult issues to handle during this time. 

Here are 7 things you can do to survive your 2WW and make it a little easier:

1. Go easy after your transfer. Start writing a journal.

2. Eat well, rest, but also remember you are not sick, so take a refreshing walk to clear your head and get some fresh air.

3. Please do not test early: this adds more pressure and stress. Wait until your beta test.

4. Color and create. Art therapy is a huge tool to release stress and focus our mind on something positive.

5. Watch funny movies with your partner. This makes time go faster and it is good to laugh.

6. Pamper yourself: go for a foot massage, a pedicure, a manicure, a make-over. Do the normal things which make you feel like you.

7. Acupuncture straight after transfer is a great option too. Head acupuncture is also a relaxing and peaceful way to be mindful and reduce stress, as is meditation and listening to chill-out music.

I truly hope that the message in this article can be of benefit to you if you are struggling with infertility or going through any medical intervention to reach motherhood.

Feel free to contact me. I offer a complementary introductory call and you can schedule it here: https://monicabivas.com/en/make-an-appointment/

By Monica Bivas

(www.theivfplanner.com)

( https://amzn.to/2TskySW)  

Can CoQ10 improve Egg Quality?

It all comes down to ATP – aka energy!  ATP is created by an organelle called the mitochondria which is present in all of our bodily cells.  From what we understand, our ATP decreases with age which can be a cause of our reproductive decline as our cells age.  

How does CoQ10 play a role?

CoQ10 is a compound that is produced by the body in order to help the mighty mitochondria generate ATP – i.e. cellular energy.  CoQ10 acts as a powerful antioxidant for the cells which is why it can prevent cellular aging. Depending on our age, lifestyle and constitution, we can be deficient in our naturally occurring CoQ10. Many foods naturally have CoQ10 such as organ meats, dark leafy vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach), nuts, seafood, and meat though it may be best to supplement to get a sufficient amount. 

Because CoQ10 plays such an important role in increasing ATP in the mitochondria, it can directly influence an increase in egg quality. Just to give you a clear picture, an average healthy cell in the body needs 1000-2000 mitochondria to function properly, an ovum or an egg needs about 300,000! Eggs that are considered poor quality will have a lower amount of mitochondria.

This just shows how much energy the egg needs in order to become an embryo. It is everything in fertility because even if a lower quality egg does fertilize it can lead to an early miscarriage because it did not start off sufficiently charged. That’s where CoQ10 comes into play. Because it has a key role of increasing cellular energy it not only helps fertility but it also helps overall cellular health in the whole body.

Key points to keep in mind when taking CoQ10 supplements. There are two types of CoQ10 and they are called Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is the final state in which CoQ10 acts as an antioxidant in the cells. So this would be the more potent and pricier version of CoQ10. Since it’s more potent though you will be able to take less amount for the same effect as you would Ubiquinone.

Another point to mention is that although this information is about how CoQ10 can affect egg quality, it is also beneficial for increasing sperm quality as well.

Recommended books on this topic:

It Starts with the Egg: How the Science of Egg Quality Can Help You Get Pregnant Naturally, Prevent Miscarriage, and Improve Your Odds in IVF by Rebecca Fett

Your Mitochondria: Key to Health and Longevity by Warren Cargal