# 2 Facts and Myths...

According to statistics collected by the CDC, 33 percent of IVF cycles for women under age 35 led to the birth of a baby. For women ages 38 to 40, the success rate drops to almost half, at almost 17 percent. For women aged 43 to 44, live birth rates per cycle (using their own eggs) were only 3 percent.

The world of infertility and fertility treatments can be extremely overwhelming. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and some information sources contradict others. How can you know what’s right?

Well, I have actually spent more hours than I would like to admit sat looking through every Pinterest, chat forum, blogs, social media and websites I can possibly find to help with my infertility. The fact of the matter is ’Can anything really help?!’ My answer is…”I don't know”... But I'm going to give it the best shot I can!

There are some situations when diet and lifestyle choices can significantly reduce infertility. For example, smoking decreases fertility in women and men. Using a hot tub can significantly reduce sperm count in men. A friend once told me, it helps if your partner dip’s his testicles in ice cold water before sex, it may be worth giving that a go, I told my husband this fact, and his face said it all, as a woman I apparently don't understand! Problems with sperm count, shape and movement are the primary causes of male infertility. Only 2 to 5 percent of semen is made up of sperm. Semen is mostly made up of fluids and mucus rich in sugars, amino acids, hormones, and minerals, all intended to support the sperm cells and help keep them alive outside of the man’s body. I've made my husband remove his shorts in bed to keep cool and have advised him to remove his phone from his trouser pocket in the day, not that he listens. The NHS even did a study to see if Men who spend a lot of time on their mobiles had a risk of lower sperm count!

Most infertility situations can’t be easily resolved by a lifestyle or diet change.

There are many books, posts and websites for ‘fertility diets’, promising that you’ll get pregnant faster if you follow them. But there is little science behind these claims.

Should you do your best to eat a healthy diet? Of course! Could a healthier diet help you conceive? It’s possible. But it won’t cure infertility. With all this said, I'm still finding myself changing my diet because I'm still latching on to any hope I can. So far myself and my husband have completely cut out caffeine and sodas. We now have decaffeinated or hot lemon water, and most importantly NO alcohol!! Goodbye chocolate (which trust me, with hormone injections is even HARDER than it sounds)...(I may have had a small slip up a few days ago with some Chocolate ice cream...and when i say 'some', I mean the 'whole tub'...'in one sitting'! Sad face.) My diet has mostly consisted of a Mediterranean style diet since we were given the go ahead before the IVF countdown, so for the last 2 months its been a lot of boiled eggs, avocados, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, salmon, chicken, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, brown seeded bread, nuts, honey, lots of berries and coconut oil for cooking. It's not realistic to do this 7 days a week. I am after all married to a northern man who likes his 'chips n gravy', but generally have been able to keep on top of it for the majority of meals. I've found a couple of myths I will be trying around the time of my transfer, in particular Mcdonalds Chips on the way home from the hospital, wearing warm fluffy lucky socks and eating a slice of Pineapple for 5 days (core included) from the day of transfer.

Just as there are various books and websites claiming special diets will help you get pregnant, there are also information sources that claim special herbs, naturopathic remedies, or supplements will boost your fertility. Is there any truth to these claims? There are some supplements that may boost fertility, but not enough to cure anyone’s real fertility problem. But if you wanted to try something, are they harmless? Here’s where things get tricky...Natural doesn’t mean harmless. In some cases, a natural remedy is harmless. However, they can interact with other medications. Vitamins and minerals, which are good for us in the correct doses, can be harmful when you take too much. Herbal remedies can be as powerful as prescription drugs.

The government also doesn’t regulate natural supplements. This means that the bottle may say it contains one thing, but it actually contains something else.

Always talk to your doctor about any herbs or supplements you’re taking, even if they are ‘natural’ and you’re sure they are harmless. My husband has been on Maca for the last 3 to 4 months. I couldn't tell you if this has helped yet, but it is supposed to increase libido and sperm count. The hospital didn't have any issue with him taking it, but they did turn their nose up and comment "it's the latest fad". I've decided to stick to just the medication for myself provided through the IVF so that nothing will interfere, however, I have gone down the chinese medicine route and the hospital was happy to hear that I have been having acupuncture. Again, I couldn't say if this has helped, but, it's a bit of me time which can not be a bad thing and I've recently downloaded an IVF meditation app that I listen to before bed. Yoga is also great. It strengthens the body, eases stress, depression and anxiety and also balances hormones.

(This is perhaps one of the most painful, damaging myths out there on infertility and fertility treatment.) Couples who decide to stop trying IVF are sometimes shamed by those inside and outside of the fertility community for giving up too soon. They may be told "JUST KEEP TRYING!"

This simply isn’t true. Fertility treatment is not guaranteed. While technically, yes, you could move onto using a surrogate, egg donor, sperm donor, embryo donors and eventually get a pregnancy, that’s an oversimplification of the process. There is a tremendous amount of time, emotions, and cost involved. Moving on is an option every couple should be able to take without any guilt that the next cycle could have been the one. Yes, maybe it could have. But it also might not have been…?

I'm sitting here now wondering what the future holds in store and whether if it fails, will it be the last time we try? Oh what a wonderful world it must be, to get married and fall pregnant instantly. Naturally. To actually smile and not feel like a bad person for secretly screaming inside every time someone announces a pregnancy. If you are reading this and completely understand that last sentence, then you are not alone. Infertility can sometimes break relationships, you have to sit down and have 'the chats'.

Whether it's Facts or Myths, everyone is different. If it gives you hope, I say, do it!

Positive inspiration to see on days it is tough!