Many of you have reached out to me via social media and said how encouraging you found my blog on my very personal infertility journey.
Due to the volume of requests specifically around what I did after being rejected for another IVF cycle and conception, I have pulled together my Top Tips based on the experience I had.
Everybody has a different journey, so it is not practical to assume that what worked for one person, will work for the other. But no knowledge is lost, so i hope my experience is of some help.
The first thing without question is to speak to a General Practitioner.
Book an appointment with your GP to discuss your concerns. They will be able to guide you through what you can phyiscally do yourself to optimise your chances. They are unable to do tests for Anti Mullerian Hormone as these are specialist via fertility clinics. But they can refer you to specialists if you fit the criteria.
I would suggest asking for Vitamin D tests with your GP, especially if you are an ethnic minority patient group. There have been studies linked to low vitamin D and infertility.
You can overdose of Vitamin D, so it is important to check your levels with a GP and not self medicate.
After being referred and told I had low AMH, which suggests low ovarian reserve or poor quantity or quality of eggs, I went online to educate myself around this. It was obviously easier for me to investigate as I am an experienced Clinical General Practice Pharmacist by profession.
- Reduce stress. Stress could be a major cause of low AMH. I distanced myself from groups and situations that were causing stress. I suspect looking back that I may have had symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue. This is not an accepted Medical Phenomenon, but it is worth being aware of it.
- Ensure 8 hours of sleep regularly. For 3 months, I went to bed at the same time to get 8 hours. I cancelled anything I was doing outside of going to work, for this very reason.
- Eat breakfast EVERYDAY. Eat regularly, little and often. To help regulate sugar levels. I would eat foods like oat porridge and fruit, lot’s of salad, rice etc. I had no health conditions that restricted my diet at that time.
- Take supplements like Pregnacare with my main meal.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and Co-Enzyme Q10 featured a lot with those who had had low AMH and gone on to conceive. However, DHEA is NOT recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence due to lack of evidence. Also it is not recommended if you have a history of cancer. These medicines featured a lot in american fertility clinics.
- AMH can fluctuate from month to month. So although the clinic had discharged me, I knew that possibly my AMH may improve by itself.
- Take your mind off the goal of conceiving, it is not in your hands. It never was. I ensured I had no regrets by doing what I could physically. But mentally and emotionally, I had begun to give it over to God which you can read about here.
Ultimately, the gift of life is a miracle, whether you conceive easily or not. There are many couples who have done the above but still not been able to conceive. Some conceived through IVF, some like myself, didn’t. Your journey, is your journey.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or personal clinician. Rachel Francis Health Diaries, Wasworththewait and Iamrachelfrancishealth disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalised medical advice.
Was Worth The Wait 