While IVF was originally created to help with structural issues affecting conception,  it’s becoming more common to start IVF after trying to get pregnant for a long time, even if there are no structural issues identified. 

When you’ve been doing everything you can to conceive and nothing is working, IVF can feel like your best chance of success. 

As much as it can feel that IVF is your first and only option for conceiving, this isn’t always true. Infertility can feel like a hopeless battle and for some people, IVF IS the best chance of success. This is why I hate the anti-IVF talk that can steer some women away from IVF when it may genuinely be the right path for them. 

Having been through IVF myself and finally getting pregnant after unsuccessful cycles prior to conceiving, I know what a huge decision it is. 

Whether you choose to have IVF or not, there is so much we can do to optimise health and fertility. I worked hard on nourishing my body prior to starting IVF and I truly believe it made all the difference. 

I’m not alone in this either. In many cases, “unexplained” infertility can be linked to imbalances in the body. Once these are addressed, the potential for successful conception is much higher. I’ve seen it first-hand with many of my clients and you’ll find out why it works later in the blog. 

Questions To Ask Before Starting IVF

Before you decide whether to start IVF, it’s important to know if your fertility has a definite cause and to feel empowered about the other options that may be available to you. 

I recommend asking these types of questions: 

Will you fully investigate us and see if a cause can be found for our infertility that might avoid complicated treatment such as IVF?

Based on your investigations, will you advise on whether waiting longer has a better chance of working?

What options are open to us other than IVF and what can we do to avoid treatment or maximise our chances of success?

If we go ahead with IVF, what are our chances of success based on my specific fertility situation? (Bear in mind that while fertility clinics will offer their IVF success rates and you can look at league tables published by the HEFA, this may mean very little to you personally so I always recommend digging deeper into your chances of success when considering IVF in case it’s lower than “average”. 

How much will it cost us if we start IVF? (Assuming your treatment won’t be funded on the NHS)

And one to ask yourself – are you emotionally ready for the prospect of starting IVF and the highs and lows it can bring?

When To Start IVF

“Should I have IVF?” is a common question. If there are no structural issues behind your infertility, this is going to be a very personal choice. 

It’s a huge decision and can be expensive, time-consuming and draining (both physically and emotionally). 

You may choose to start IVF after weighing everything up but it doesn’t have to be your only option. 

Optimizing Your Health and Fertility

Whether you choose to start IVF or not, optimising your health and fertility is a great move. 

Many of my clients have been told that natural conception will never be possible, only to find that changing their nutrition and lifestyle makes a huge difference to their fertility. 

Even small changes can help to take control of your health and increase your chances of successful conception, whether that’s natural conception or through assisted conception. 

This is because we’re getting to the root cause(s) of what may be affecting your fertility (which is often highly unique to you) and getting the body back into balance. 

If any systems in the body aren’t working as well as they should, it can affect fertility. And once they’re supported to work effectively, a lot can change. 

We can also see if nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, microbiome imbalances, metal toxicity, and overall toxic load are impacting fertility. 

There are lots of factors that can affect fertility and many of them won’t show up on standard tests, leaving you very much in the dark about why you’re finding it so difficult to get pregnant. But when we add in functional testing, it can highlight issues that we can resolve through nutrition and lifestyle changes and naturopathy. 

It’s possible to fall pregnant naturally before IVF even starts as conception can be more likely once the body’s systems are in balance and working in harmony. 

Even “unexplained” infertility can potentially resolve once you focus on supporting your body to have the best chance of conception. When we can fix the health imbalances that are affecting how you feel day-to-day, conception can happen as a side effect of correcting it. 

And if you do choose to start IVF, preparing your body increases the chances of success. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can also help you to have a healthier pregnancy. 

I would love to help you to do this, whether you’re starting on IVF or looking to conceive naturally. Either way, we can transform your health and it may help you conceive too!

You can book a free discovery call with me to start laying the groundwork for successful conception. 

And if you choose IVF, please don’t feel any judgement! This is your fertility journey and you can choose the direction it takes.