How to prepare for an FET

[orangecatmum]

Hi all,

I recently had my first egg collection and after the whole ordeal (yes, lol, it felt like an ordeal - you all get it!) my boyfriend and I have ended up with 4 PGT-a tested embryos, a result we are really pleased with.

I am hoping to have an FET after my next couple of periods as I have to make sure my thyroid TSH levels are low enough, but things are looking OK now I've started a higher dose of levothyroxine.

My question is, what should I be doing now to prepare for the FET? It's hopefully going to be late June/early July so there is a bit of time. After being stringent pre egg retrieval, I have relaxed my diet a tiny bit and am drinking alcohol again, not excessively but just a nice normal level. Leading up to the FET I will go back to a stricter, alcohol-free (or near enough) diet but is there anything else I should be doing? I know very little about this part of the process so your tips and tricks for prepping my body for an FET would be hugely appreciated!

Diet-wise, lifestyle-wise, any hidden gem recommendations to make sure my body and lining are raring to go.

Thank you!

[Sansan87]

hello!

Congrats! Before my successful ivf transfer I did the following

Ate healthy - avocados, fruit, etc, bone broth

Acupuncture

Reflexology

Made sure I was getting enough sleep

Quit hardcore cardio exercise and switched to more gentle exercise

All the usual vitamins

Probiotics

Serrapeppatase

Castor oil pack on stomach

Good luck!!

[GraceFace in reply to Sansan87]

Much the same as Sansan’s said. I’d just add that you want to do everything as though you are pregnant. A pregnancy-friendly diet, no alcohol, no hot baths/hot tubs etc. x

[orangecatmum in reply to GraceFace]

Thanks both! Wow, really, even a few months in advance? I wasn't expecting that. Obviously good diet, supplements, general looking after yourself etc sure, and I will be returning to acupuncture around when I have my transfer. I'm already on a litany of supplements and probiotics thankfully, but I was about to return to (hardcore) exercise after taking time off for my injections/EC. I'll tone it down sooner, then.

I'll definitely look into the castor oil packs and phase alcohol out a month beforehand.

Thanks guys!

[GraceFace in reply to orangecatmum]

Sorry, I misread. I thought you were going for transfer now. I’m sure more intense exercise and baths will be fine until transfer 😅 x

[Sansan87 in reply to orangecatmum]

Also one thing I did before the transfer and then panicked because my Dr wasn’t a big fan - swimming! He was worried about infections etc so avoid if you can in the immediate run up. And make sure they are religiously checking your progesterone levels prior to transfer. I was on pessaries and progesterone in oil injections and my Dr checked my levels every day in the run up to transfer.

[keepfaith1982 in reply to Sansan87]

Hi congratulations on your successful transfer for the castor oil pack when did you use these up until pls? Was the just before transfer? Thanks x

[Sansan87 in reply to keepfaith1982]

Yes before the transfer and only a few times. I also did reflexology once a week.

[Whattheivf]

Congrats on the embryos - that’s great news!

Here’s a list of what I did before my successful transfer

- tested my vaginal microbiome a few weeks before which led to a round of vaginal probiotics up until 4 days before

- acupuncture before and after transfer (same day)

- pomegranate juice every day

- pineapple every day

- lots of water

- light walking only after transfer

- lots of sleep

Good luck! X

[Chowlady14]

I would lay off the hardcore exercise if I was you. I’m having real issues with getting my lining thick. I’ve had 7 fet cancelled and 2 failed cycles in the last year and comments keep being passed on the fact I have a low bmi. Apparently being too thin can affect the lining, I believe it’s something to do with estrogen which we need to thicken and it being produced through fat cells. Other than that sounds like your being sensible, try to enjoy this time and relax most importantly. It could be the last time it’s just you and your b/f enjoy each other xxx

[orangecatmum in reply to Chowlady14]

Sorry you've had such a difficult time with yours, really hoping things look up for you!

I'm a little overweight and have concerns about my lining being too thick (a doctor once told me to be careful as it's over 14mm) so hopefully the exercise will be fine! Not hardcore but like, lots of weights and cardio. But thanks for your advice, will definitely take note

[Chowlady14 in reply to orangecatmum]

You should be fine then and if your anything like me exercising helps your mood which is great too. Good luck for your transfer…. I’m sat in the waiting room now waiting to find out if I will have a transfer today or not xxx

[orangecatmum in reply to Chowlady14]

Ooh good luck - did it happen?

[Chowlady14 in reply to orangecatmum]

Yes…. We transferred and my lining was 7.3mm which is thin but good for us. My son was conceived on 7.5mm so praying for another miracle xx

[orangecatmum in reply to Chowlady14]

Ooh this is good news! If it happened before, and they wouldn't do it if you weren't ready. Sending all the luck! Xx

[Eloquentia]

Good luck with your FET! Like many of the others, before the FET which gave us our daughter, I are Mediterranean diet (fish, veggies, Greek yoghurt with honey and nuts), drank pomegranate juice at the time I started the estrogen tablets to help with the lining, did fertility reflexology and also took oral and vaginal probiotics (Biogaia and Canesfloor). Very best of luck!

[orangecatmum]

Thanks everyone! Some fab tips here, some I am already doing (which makes me feel better, ha) and some I didn't know so this is great. I have been on the oral and vaginal probiotics for a while as I kept getting BV so hopefully this will have really helped.