Some of the top IVF clinics are recommending vitamin cocktails to help women to improve their egg quality - and pregnancy rates - in IVF cycles. These recommendations are the result of a new field of research which examines the levels of nutrients within the micro-environment of the follicular fluids in which the egg is nourished and nurtured. The nutrients that your eggs are fed really do matter. Certain supplements may be recommended for the male partner to boost the health of sperm, especially sperm DNA integrity which can cause miscarriage and reduce the success of IVF/ART.

This new area of research has discovered that high levels of certain nutrients are associated with improvements in egg and embryo quality - higher pregnancy rates - and better hormonal profiles which are associated with improved fertility and IVF success.

There is a great diversity of opinions regarding nutritional supplementation and IVF. Many reproductive endocrinologists - it would seem - have little or no interest in the contribution that nutritional supplements could make to a successful IVF. Other physicians are positively enthusiastic, offering nutrient testing and making clear recommendations for a veritable cocktail of nutritional supplements, many of which have been shown to improve IVF success rates in clinical trials.

Multiple studies in top reproductive medicine journals have shown that when specific nutrients are abundant in the follicular fluids, IVF success is more likely, embryos tend to be higher quality and hormone levels are more consistent with good fertility.

A diverse range of nutrients including: myo-inositol, vitamin D, DHEA, L-Arginine, zinc, Co-Enzyme Q10, melatonin, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and pycnogenol may be recommended. These are just some of the ingredients in the nutrient cocktails being used in top fertility clinics with enviable IVF success rates. Such nutrient cocktails may be able to help you too if you need to up your odds of succeeding but be sure to ask your physician first.

For best results at least 3 months of preparation is recommended before IVF. The male partner may benefit from a pre-IVF program too, optimizing sperm health is equally important especially when the male is 40 or over.

Because the egg - and sperm - generation process is an entire 3 months long nutrient cocktails are often used for full 3 months to give developing oocytes maximum benefit from their super-food bath. The quality - and purity - of the supplements that you buy is important for optimal success, choose a reputable source with good absorption and manufacturing processes so you know what you are getting. Consumer labs is an independent testing lab which publishes the results of their tests on nutritional supplements, they can be useful for choosing quality products.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for medical diagnosis or advice or nutritional advice for which you should consult with a physician or licensed dietitian.

I regularly post extra updates on new fertility research, tips and strategies, along with research on environmental toxins and fertility on my Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/smartfertilitystrategies

Would you like articles like this delivered to your email weekly? Sign up for the BellaOnline infertility newsletter, it is free and you can unsubscribe anytime you like. The link is below.