Green/Herbal tea in IVF and pregnancy

[Dot457]

Hi all, might be a silly and overthought post here. I have never liked hot drinks up until a few years ago, and only in the last couple of years started to drink a bit of coffee. I drink about 5 cups of Green tea a day, it's the flavoured green teas, so ones that have a Berry or Lemon flavour for example.

Are these still bad to drink? during IVF and pregnancy? I don't really drink anything else apart from water or a bit of cordial, so I'd be lost if I couldn't have my cups of tea lol. (first world problems I know!)

My friend once said you can only drink peppermint tea during pregnancy but I really can't stand it. This will be our second round in the next few weeks and I'm naturally looking at things I can change from last time.

Thanks x

[NRW39]

Hiya.
This is not a silly question at all. I used to drink around 4 cups of green tea a day and water only. No tea and no coffee.

You turn a bit mental during IVF and look to do anything to increase your chances of success.

I gave up green tea before I started IVF. I'd read alot about green tea and herbal teas, nothing even particularly scientific, but i decided it could do no harm to do give it up
Just in case... I switched to hot chocolate and the occasional cup of 'normal' tea, as it seems there's more research about these hot drinks during pregnancy than herbal teas.

If I'm honest with you, you can give up things and add things to your diet but I don't think there is anything you can definitively do to increase your chances, apart from giving up booze and smoking (if you indulge). It also helps to be at a healthy weight. There is science behind these 3 things. The rest is up to nature.

I speak from experience. I'm 4 cycles in. I gave up alcohol (2 years ago now) Cut out green tea, ate lots of salad with avocado and beans. I basically did all the 'right' things with varying outcomes. Cycle 1 ended in miscarriage at 6 weeks. Cycle 2 & 3 failed and Cycle 4 ended recently in miscarriage at 9 weeks.

For Cycle 1,2& 3 I did a food diary and did everything I could. For Cycle 4 I didn't keep a diary, I ate well but didn't change my diet alot at all. I even ate out and had the odd take away. Basically everything in moderation. I think as you go through numerous Cycles you lossen up abit about what you should and shouldn't do. Eat and not eat. Etc.

I start Cycle 5 this year, and I intend to do exactly what I did for Cycle 4.

I know this is probably more than you asked for...!

Best of luck xx

[Dot457]

Hey @NRW39 - Oh wow this reply is brilliant. I'm not a touchy feely person and all I wanted to do after reading this was give you a massive hug! You sound V much on my wave length. I have stopped drinking coffee as a routine now like I was everyday at work, but I'll have one if I'm out and about and we stop somewhere. I completely agree with the everything in moderation rule. Mental health is a shit bag and putting so much pressure on ourselves do do right when there probably is no right is the worst.

I'm so sorry to hear about your experience so far, but it's great that you haven't allowed it to stop you doing another cycle! You definitely seem like an inspiration. Theres so many wifes tales about what you should and shouldn't do during IVF and pregnancy that I dont know whats right and bloody wrong! But I would kick my self if it didn't end as we'd hoped again because of something so minor that I could have stopped like drinking Green Tea for example. I haven't heard anything bad about it but people keep telling me theres still caffine in it so I'm like oh christ is it really worth that cup!

It's so stressful, our first round I went in completely blind, so I'm a bit more up tight this time because I know whats coming. Honestly I really appreciate this reply, it's more than helpful! Good luck with your 5th cycle! I am honestly keeping everything crossed for you! xx

[NRW39]

Aww. Thank you for that lovely message. I don't feel inspirational x

I know, it's really difficult, because you can't help but think, if only I'd done X things may have been different. I was like that after my first Cycle. I read something about flat peaches after I'd eaten one. The next day I miscarried. Naturally, I was besides myself at this revelation; but with time and clarity I realised this was nonsense and that the peach had absolutely nothing to do with the miscarriage. What I have learned from this process is that GOOGLE is NOT your friend!!

I'm determined. I am meant to be a mummy. We were lucky enough to have an embryo to freeze after Cycle 4 (best result across all our Cycles) so we will be using that, so at least I won't have to go through an entire Cycle again: it's so damn hard. The mental impact is much much harder than I ever imagined. We're in IVF couples therapy (a God send! (I would absolutely reccommend) and I have just started therapy on my own, which is a different feeling to the couples one, but I think it will help me get back on track. I just want to feel myself again. x

[windy2909]

Hi there, during IVF treatment, I actually swapped from drinking tea to green tea. My thinking being it was healthier than normal tea and less caffeine. I’m not a huge tea drinker mind you, 2-3 mugs a day max. For at least a year before success, I drank only green tea and only stopped when I read it was not good to drink during pregnancy. It also began to make me fill 🤢.! My baby is now 6 months old and I haven’t had a green tea since I found out I was expecting. Just my experience. Hope it helps. Wishing you all the luck x