# FET - advice on health and happiness during the build up to the big transfer...



## laurafitz (Feb 13, 2010)

Hi ladies,

I have 2 cycles to go until I can have a FET at St Mary's hospital and I wondered if there are any 'Must Do' tips we could share to increase the chances of success in the run up to the transfer?

I heard pineapple cores, grape juice and brazil nuts are essential http://www.ivfplus40.com/2008/09/pineapple-and-grape-juice.html and that acupuncture on the day before and day after the transfer can increase success rates by 60% http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1933901.stm so if that's true, shouldn't we all be doing it

If anyone has any experience with alternative therapies and/or food for fertility, please share.

We all need all the help we can get during these turbulant times, IVF can be such an isolating experience so let's all stick together sisters  xxx


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## MissE (Feb 19, 2010)

Hi Laura,

I have to have FET as i developed OHSS after EC. Have been looking into foodstuffs ana as you have mentioned it seems to be foods containing selenium are really good. Brazil nuts and pineapple juice (100% pressed or pure Juice, not from concentrate).
I have already started even though i haven't got date for FET yet. 

Do you think it really makes a difference if you have acupuncture during treatment. I didin't have it at all during any part of my treatment. I have seen a lot of people mention it on here and am getting a bit worried cos i haven't done it.

Good luck to you hun.

Emma xx


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## curlyclair (Feb 5, 2010)

Hi Laura

I am at St mary's too!! and have my FET transfer on Wednesday, the only advice I can give you is to try and stay stress free, eat healthy food such as veg/lean meat, chicken, fruit. Lots of water and if you can stick it milk. Plenty of protein in your diet for the lining of your womb.

No drinking/smoking/caffeine. (that's all the good stuff out the window lol)

Brazil nuts are great for selenium and protein/pineapple juice is also good.

If you don't like brazil nuts take a selenium supplement, I got mine from boots online, also Iron 14mg a day is good for the blood.

A good multi vit/pregnacare/follic acid start this as soon as possible.

I have had acupuncture this time as I wanted to try everything I could for a chance of success, all i know is that it is very relaxing and  great for blood flow to the uterus, and my lining thickness at the scan last wek was 12mm which is very good apparently. so worth a shot. Good Luck xxx


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## ☼♥ Minxy ♥☼ © (Jan 13, 2005)

Hi there

If you use the search tool (especially search on Peer Support board), you'll find yours is a very frequently asked question. I replied to someone the other day on this FET board with info that I put together several years ago. Not all of it may be useful or relevant as applies to fresh IVF but you can adapt some of it to suit FET too.

I've had 5 fresh IVFs and 2 natural FETs and whilst not be best outcome (both FETs - chem pgs, all IVFs were BFNs), I've always responded extremely well and produced lots of good healthy eggs and womb lining. I've not had acupuncture for a while now but did have it through 4 of our 7 treatment cycles.

You may find more interesting posts/threads on the Prenatal Care and Complementary Therapies boards too...here's the links to those...

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=20.0

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=20.0

As well as acupuncture you may want to consider hypnotherapy (there are some good cds around specifically for fertility) and/or reflexology.

Anyway, lots of luck to you...and here's the link and a cut/paste from the info I put together so maybe you'll be able to pick out some useful stuff from there...

Take care
Natasha

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=229454.0

Upping protein can be good for encouraging healthy eggs. Although some dairy products and meat can contain hormones/anti biotics etc, it's fine if you have as much organic as possible.

Try to drink at least 2 litres of water a day and 1 litre of milk (preferably organic - skimmed or semi skimmed which have higher protein than full fat). The water helps flush the drugs around your system and keeps you hydrated and helps prevent headaches and OHSS. You should drink this all the way through the treatment cycle....downregging, stimming and 2ww. Water is essential for organ/gland function and cell production....so subsequently hormones and egg production and cell division.

The milk is good for the eggs because of the protein and zinc but also helps go towards preventing OHSS (protein helps this).

Ideally you'd want about 60g of protein in your diet per day.

"Too little protein in your diet can result in a reduced number of eggs. Make sure you have an adequate daily supply of protein"

"A good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement (ideally a prenatal supplement) will help your body cope with the demands of IVF. These are namely Vitamin C and E, which enriches the fluid which surrounds and nourishes your eggs. Zinc, which is essential for hormone production. Magnesium and vitamin A, which aid egg production. Selenium and magnesium to improve fertilisation rates. Iron and Co-enzyme Q10, to enrich the womb lining. Vitamins C, E and zinc also help you to repair quickly after the egg retrieval, ready to receive the incoming embryos and B complex will help your body cope with stress"

As well as the protein in milk, which is essential for hormone production (and subsequently healthy eggs !)....it also contains zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E plus B vitamins....all vital in some way or another for egg and hormone production.

Vitamin A in form of betacarotene is fine but avoid too much vit A in form of retinol may cause problems to unborn foetus when pg.

http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=70

Another reason why milk can be good when having IVF is because of the calcium, especially if you're on long protocol and downregging. The process of downregging (putting body into temporary menopause) may decrease levels of calcium in your bones (which is why osteoporosis is something menopausal women should be aware of). By ensuring you get a good intake of calcium, this can help alleviate this (obviously you can get calcium from other sources if can't stand milk). As well as good if downregging, if you're prescribed an anticoagulents such as Clexane or Heparin, this may also contribute to decrease in calcium levels.

Other protein sources:

cheese (including cottage cheese, dairylea, philadelphia)
yoghurt
eggs
quinoa
chickpeas (hummous)
lentils
baked beans
baked potatoes
oats/cereal
kidney beans
nuts (including cashew, peanuts, brazils, almonds, pistachio, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecan...peanut butter)
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
flaxseed (linseed) - put on top of cereal
rice
wholewheat
spinach
parsley
broccoli
avocado

Zinc is also good for healthy eggs and is found in milk and eggs amongst other things

Vitamin E is another thing which helps promote healthy eggs and is found in wheatgerm, nuts, seeds

Coenzyme Q10 can help bloodflow to womb and also fertilisation.

Selenium is a good mineral because it's an antioxident it helps promote a healthy womb lining - brazil nuts have the highest level of this, so a handful (about 5 or so) a day is good but there are lots of other food sources for selenium.

Pineapple juice contains a certain amount of selenium which is why it's thought to help with implantation ie helps encourage healthy womb lining. Fresh or pressed pineapple juice is best but "from concentrate" and "not from concentrate" are still fine. It's eating fresh pineapple that should be avoided as it contains an enzyme called Bromelain which may cause uterine contractions but during processing (canning/juicing) this enzyme is destroyed. Pineapple does contain manganese though which is very beneficial when ttc.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp

The main thing is to have a healthy balanced diet.

Avoid certain herbal teas such as green tea (as can effect the absorption of folic acid) and any that contain hibiscus (may cause uterine contractions)...as well as caffeine and diet/"sugar free" drinks which contain aspartame.

Avoid certain essential oils/aromatherapy as there are several that should be avoided when ttc and pregnant.

Keep your belly and back covered & warm at all times as this can help encourage follie growth & blood flow to the womb (and hence womb lining). Could try using heated wheatbag or hot water bottle during stimms.

Progesterone is the warming hormone and it's this that makes our temperatures rise following ovulation & it does this to make the womb a warm & hospitable environment....so explains why good to keep warm but not hot.

Warming foods are good...in Chinese medicine/acupuncture they believe fertility problems are related to cold womb so advise keeping belly, back and feet covered and warm at all times (but no hot water bottle/heated wheatbag etc during 2ww) to aid bloodflow and implantation...and eating warming foods like ginger, garlic etc. After ET you don't want to overheat or raise your temp too much above the bodys "core temp" but you fo want to keep belly, back & feet warm & covered.

It is also a point of view that is supported by fertility specialist Zita West and this is believed in both Eastern European and Chinese cultures...."you can't grow a baby in a cold womb...."

You may start to feel tired and bloated towards the end of stimming...peppermint tea is good for bloatedness but unforunately most of this will be caused by the fluid in the follicles so not an awful lot you can do about it whilst stimming...and if you feel tired then rest/sleep...don't overdo it as your body is using energy in other areas ie womb and ovaries.

Other things you could try are acupuncture, reflexology, hypnotherapy cds, supplements like spirulina and wheatgrass (as high in protein) and also bee products (I always take Apimist during IVF which is a honey with royal jelly, bee pollen and bee propolis ).

http://www.apitherapy.biz/home.html

Coenzyme, zinc, selenium etc are all good for healthy sperm too so make sure your DP has plenty of these in his diet !

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## laurafitz (Feb 13, 2010)

Hi ladies - WOW    so much information there. There's a lot to think about, thanks for the advice. I think I will get myself to Holland and Barratt ASAP.

Acupuncture helps blood flow to the uterus, so a few sessions before ET might be worth trying and I will definately start on the brazil nuts, pineapple juice and cut out the drinking, though a glass of wine after work is a lovely way to relax!!! 

I've just ordered Zita Wests assisted fertility guide, so hopefully will learn more to share with you all.

Keep the ideas coming and hopefully they will help lots of women...TTFN xxx


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## grejka (Mar 31, 2009)

Hi 
I was taking baby aspyryn with my FET and didnt have baths only shower
Hope that help


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