Embarking on the journey of egg freezing is a significant decision, and it’s essential to be well-prepared. This blog aims to guide you through the crucial steps involved in the preparation process, from understanding the initial medical evaluations to lifestyle adjustments and emotional readiness. While consulting with a medical professional is mandatory to ensure personalized and safe care, the recommendations provided here can be beneficial throughout your journey.
- Initial Consultation and Assessment: The process begins with a consultation with a fertility specialist. During this visit, the doctor will evaluate the woman's overall health, ovarian reserve (the number of eggs in the ovaries) and discuss her reasons for wanting to freeze her eggs. Blood tests and an ultrasound are typically performed to assess the ovarian reserve.
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Diet and Lifestyle Adjustments:
- In the three months leading to the egg retrieval procedure, it is recommended to have a diet that is rich in antioxidants and unprocessed whole foods. This includes vegetables, fruits, lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and soy, healthy fats usually contained in avocado, olive oil, and nuts, whole grains and legumes. Processed foods, fried foods, and sugars are to be avoided.
- Minimizing alcohol consumption and avoiding smoking is strongly recommended, especially since smoking can be contra effective to egg quality.
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Weight Management and Exercise:
- Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial in these three month is crucial. This may improve the outcome of the egg freezing by decreasing the number of medications required, improving ovarian responsiveness, and enhancing safety during the retrieval.
- Regular and daily exercise promotes good health and helps in controlling stress. Once the ovarian stimulation part starts and until few days after the retrieval, it is strongly recommended to avoid excessive running, vigorous jumping and twisting exercises.
- Supplements and Medications: There are certain supplements that may be recommended to improve egg quality after mandatory consultation with your doctor. These can include prenatal vitamins, Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant produced by the human body and DHEA, which is a hormone produced naturally in the adrenal gland and helps in producing other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen.
- Mental and Emotional Preparation: It is crucial to consider the emotional weight of the egg freezing process. A strong support system in place, whether it's friends, family, or a counselor may be very helpful during the whole egg freezing process, especially since the start of the hormonal stimulation. Meditation and yoga can be also helpful in managing stress and anxiety.