Ever since I shared on Instagram that we conceived via IUI I have been inundated with messages in my DM asking for advice on what to do to conceive via IUI.
Here is why I can’t share advice, I can only share our story and my perspective.
- I am not a fertility specialist
- I am not a doctor or a health care professional
- I had one round of IUI and it was successful in the first round (this is not always the norm).
- Our bodies are all bio-individual and we have so many factors to take into account when undergoing fertility treatment (from nutrition to hormonal health, to underlying health issues and more).
Success rates for IUI depend on so many different factors. From maternal age to the reason for infertility, to the clinic you attend, etc.
Here is a study on the Success Rate of Inseminations.
We attended the Ottawa Fertility Clinic and they state that “In general, a healthy woman under the age of 35 can expect a pregnancy rate of about 19% per try.”
I’ve been asked everything from what diet to be on, to should someone exercise or not during a cycle to what supplements they should take.
And while I’m a huge proponent of an anti-inflammatory diet, a proper meal plan will depend on so many factors.
In regards to supplementation, I do share the protocol I was on at the time of conception. However, I am referring everyone who asks about supplements to my Naturopath, Dr. Rachel Corradetti (who’s been following me since my MS diagnosis). She is now a fertility specialist. The supplements you take will be unique to you based on your bloodwork. While many are standard for most women I do recommend working with a practitioner to ensure you are taking what’s right for you.
And in regards to exercise, the clinics will usually make a recommendation. I was already active and doing HIIT workouts a few times a week. I even went for a hike the day the procedure happened. While I can’t make that recommendation for everyone I know that keeping my stress low through exercise was something that was great overall for my health. But if the clinic tells you to stick to only walking do that. It again will depend on the individual.
I totally get that the fertility journey is at times frustrating, lonely and hard. You are seeking answers and hoping there is a prescriptive list of things you can do and follow to have a successful fertility treatment. I simply can’t provide that for you. I can only share all the things I did and learned in the hopes that it inspires you to do your own research.
You’ve got this.