Questions to ask before (and after) your cycle

A practical guide to the questions worth raising with your clinic - covering nutrition, supplements, testing, and post-retrieval recovery. (These are questions I wished I had asked)

Pre-IVF

1. What diet changes should I make?

• Is tofu okay as a vegetarian protein source?

• Are there foods I should actively avoid?

• I'm in an 800 cal/day deficit — does that affect outcomes?

2. Which supplements do you recommend, and do I need bloodwork first?

• CoQ10 - dosage and timing?

• Vitamin D - should I test levels first?

• B12 - especially relevant as a vegetarian?

• Omega-3 - any concerns with fish oil vs algae-based?

• How far in advance do I need to start?

3. Is estrogen priming necessary for me?

4. What baseline blood tests should I run?

5. Does Metformin (or similar) help? Is it indicated for me?

6. What tests should my husband have beyond a semen analysis?

7. How many embryos should we target for 1–2 children?

8. Does acupuncture actually help — and do you recommend it?

9. How do I regulate my cycle before starting? Will birth control affect my results?

Post-retrieval

10. Which lab techniques do you use to enhance outcomes?

• Do you offer ICSI or Zymōt sperm selection?

• How are eggs graded, and will you share that with me?

11. What activity restrictions apply until my period arrives?

• Is swimming off the table?

• What about sauna / heat exposure?