How to cope with the stress related to COVID 19 pandemic during your fertility treatment
by Newlife IVF Team, last updated 07 Jul 2020,
3 min read
In late December news about a new novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan China started making headlines. Fast-forward a few months later, the outbreak was declared a pandemic on the 11th of March 2020 and most IVF clinics in order to protect their patients had to postpone indefinitely treatment cycles. This decision naturally caused a certain unease to many patients who may now be anxious about how to cope with the current situation during this phase of their lives. Below you will find some tips on how you can take advantage of your time during lockdown to fully prepare for you upcoming treatment cycle.
Have a healthy lifestyle
One of the most common questions women ask before starting an IVF treatment is what alterations should they make on their lifestyle. The best advice is to follow a healthy diet rich in Vitamin C and D, Zinc, Magnesium and Omega-3 acids and exercise regularly at least 3 times per week. During this stressful period is it key to stay in shape, especially if we consider that having a BMI on the higher spectrum has also been associated with infertility, as obesity has been linked with anovulation, menstrual cycle disorders and miscarriages. A general rule is to aim to lose 5-10% of your body weight if your BMI is above 25 before your IVF treatment.
Break your bad habits
The consensus is that women undergoing IVF should treat their bodies as if they were already pregnant. Now is a good time to try breaking bad habits that have a negative effect both on the IVF’s success rates and pregnancy. Cutting down on sugar, quitting smoking and cutting down the alcohol consumption are 3 of the most important measures women can take while preparing for an IVF treatment cycle.
Have a good night’s sleep
Sleep is key to strengthening your immune system. Sleeping for 7 to 8 hours daily has been implicated with lower stress levels. The above is due to the fact that sleep and stress have a bidirectional relationship by having shared pathways affecting the central nervous system along with metabolism. Moreover, sleep plays an active role in regulating your body’s hormones. Thus, try establishing a healthy bedtime routine without being distracted by the allure of Netflix.
Keep in touch with your clinic
Although patients from many countries can travel currently to Greece, their treatment may involve additional logistics. Others again may not be able to proceed with their treatment cycle depending on the status of your country. For these reasons, it is of paramount importance to have ongoing communication with the clinic so that you can smoothly resume your treatment and also receive any support that you may need.
Amidst the Covid19 pandemic, it is natural to feel worried. An IVF is stressful on its own, so the current circumstances can only heighten that feeling. Please note that at Newlife IVF we are always here for you to support you, listen to your concerns, and answer any questions you may have, to help you create the family you dream as soon as possible.
Fortunately, as of May, Greece has begun to gradually lift the restrictive measures imposed due to the Covid-19 virus. Newlife IVF Greece re-started treatment cycles in mid-May following the guidelines provided by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Still, international patients need to make sure that they have read the published travel regulations and country-level restrictions before scheduling any travel in order to be fully prepared. Our main aim is to guide you safely to your goal.