Infertility is a very depressing situation and the infertility treatment is very demanding both in terms of financial as well as is very stressful. Patients often recount that they never dreamed of such stress as during IVF treatment. It is shown that emotional distress levels rise as the duration of infertility treatment increases.
To manage stress, you need to understand about your body’s response to stress. Cannon was the first to describe the “fight or flight” response of the body to stress. When there is stress, the body tends to react in a manner to undo the stress.
Yoga for pregnancy is an old discipline of exercises and mental control from India. It is both spiritual and physical. Yoga for pregnancy uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation. The yogic exercises are isometric along with control of breathing (There is no change in the length of the muscles during exercise, but the contraction pressure is increased by holding the body in certain postures). The yoga for pregnancy helps to reduce stress and tension in mind and body. IVF is a stressful experience, so any procedure which helps to alleviate the stress during IVF procedure can only be good for the patient.
Chronic or persistent stress occurs when undergoing infertility treatment. As long as the stress response remains “turned on,” you will be at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, suppressed immunity, and increased risk of depression and anxiety. Chronic stress can affect every system of the body, and it can worsen existing conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and chronic pain. Chronic stress can cause suppression of the reproductive system resulting in amenorrhea and failure to ovulate in women, impotency in men, and loss of libido or both.
It is proven that the best way to manage stress is to learn a variety of stress reduction techniques. These techniques help that to bring the nervous system back into balance by essentially restoring the body and mind back to a calm, relaxed state.
Practicing relaxation methods during the IVF treatment will allow you to relief your body to the side effects of stress. Managing the stress will give you the added strength to handle the physical and emotional demands of infertility treatment.
There are many different stress management techniques (e.g., diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga) and you will need to do some experimentation to determine what works best for you. Diaphragmatic breathing, pranayama and meditation are quite helpful in restoring normal physiological and psychological state.
Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing, is breathing that is done by contracting the diaphragm, a muscle which separated the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.
Air gets into the lungs and the chest and belly expands during this kind of breathing. It induces a state of relaxation. According to the University ofTexas Counseling and Mental Health Center, “Diaphragmatic breathing allows normal breathing while maximizing the amount of oxygen that enters the bloodstream. It is one way of interrupting the ‘Fight or Flight’ response and triggering the body’s normal relaxation response.
Antinuclear antibody
Prolactin
Ferritin
Prolactin
DHEA-S
LH
Testosterone
Anti-Mullerian Hormone
A healthy balanced diet is one which includes all macro and micronutrients along with the healthy amount of calories. Your macronutrients are, carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and the micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. Since all these components are necessary for a balanced diet you can only vary the proportions.
Protein: sources can vary depending on if one is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. But make sure there are large amounts of vegetables, some fruit, whole grains are all wonderful sources of nutrition
Fats: are also critical for good nutrition, when it comes to fertility. Unsaturated fats and fatty acids are important building blocks, and play an important role in helping the body to absorb and use lipid soluble nutrients in your food.
