Starting ivf soon…is it too late to improve egg / sperm quality?

[Dexy007]

Hi

our clinic has said we can start ivf basically whenever we want (at the start of my cycle, of course). We are lucky to have the choice. Not in uk.

it’s all happened rather fast, we haven’t given up caffeine, alcohol, no supplements apart from folic acid for me.

I would love to do the ivf before a big trip in August….but be honest with me is it worth us clean living for the next 6 weeks or so? Can you make any real difference in that time?

my AMH is 18.5, AFC is 30. So I think I’m ok?

husband’s sperm count is very low, and motility is poor but the actual sperm that are there are good shape (sorry don’t know the terminology)!

we will definitely be doing Icsi and ivf.

any thoughts on what changes to diet or lifestyle might make a difference in the timescale? I know we should have started earlier…

www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/diet_and_fertility

I did see a bbc programme a few years ago where the man improved his sperm dramatically after cleaning up his diet, giving up smoking/alcohol, increasing loads of antioxidants with fruit/veg etc.
Alcohol has been shown to affect ivf success so definitely give up the alcohol asap. No clue about caffeine though.

@Dexy007 spent take up to 90 days to reproduce so to be honest 6 weeks is too short but if you're going with ICSI anyway, they'll select the best ones. I would just do your best to clean up diet etc but if you want to start asap don't worry to much as they're going to choose the best 'X' amount of sperm depending on your eggs collected. Your AMH sounds fine yes.

Sperm*

I wouldn't bother for 6 weeks - it's at least 3 months minimum for sperm improvements and for egg quality likely they same if not more - Google egg cycles and how body chooses eggs - the process starts months in advance x

As long as your lifestyles aren't ridiculously unhealthy, you'll be fine. 6 weeks is too short and I don't believe a significant difference can be made anyway. Imo the most important thing is reducing stress. If waiting will make you stress less (because you'll have cleaned up your lifestyle and therefore will make you feel like you've given it your all), then wait. Otherwise crack on. Good luck.

Thanks. We eat really well, but are fond of wine at the weekends and big coffee lovers. Nothing that would give a doctor cause for concern! But I wish we had had more notice so we could be virtuous for a few months., oh well!

I don't think it will make much difference, and since you're already living a healthy lifestyle you'll be okay. I started meditation and light exercise a few weeks prior to my ivf, I don't know if it helped, but it was a nice way to handle my nerves.