If you and your spouse have been trying to conceive for a while now and are thinking about opting for a fertility treatment, you probably have a million questions. The best person to answer these questions is a top infertility consultant in India. You are probably wondering about the several lifestyle changes you need to make in order to prepare yourself for the procedure. Most healthy couples will only have to make a few small changes to their lifestyle. Here are some tips on how you can prepare yourself for a fertility treatment.

Before you begin any fertility treatment, the best infertility clinics in India will ask you to do a few standard pre-treatment tests. The very basic ones include blood tests to confirm if women are negative for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis, and immune to rubella. Males are tested for HIV and hepatitis.

Before they begin treatment, women should limit their caffeine intake to 100-130mg a day. Usually, a cup of coffee contains around 100mg of caffeine. They should also limit other liquids that contain caffeine such as chocolate, tea and energy drinks.

While consuming limited quantities of alcohol occasionally and moderately are not know to have any adverse effects, consuming higher amounts of alcohol has been known to be detrimental both to male and female fertility. Women who are trying to conceive should ideally avoid alcohol.

Smoking is another detrimental habit which tends to hamper fertility. The tobacco in a cigarette has been found to reduce sperm count and quality. Smokers also show a reduced chance of a successful embryo implantation after an IVF cycle. Smoking during pregnancy can lead to some serious issues such as bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, low birth weight in infants and premature delivery. Couples should also discontinue the use of marijuana or any other drugs if they are planning to get pregnant, as marijuana has been found to have a negative effect on sperm quality.

Weight plays an important role in conceiving, especially in women. For a woman to be able to conceive, she must be of optimal weight. Malnourished or overweight women are less likely to conceive after a fertility treatment such as IVF. The optimal body mass index for a woman undergoing fertility treatments should be 20 to 25. If a woman is obese, the baby she conceives may be at risk of developing diabetes, congenital abnormalities or preeclampsia. Having a healthy body weight increases one’s chances of getting pregnant.

Stress and anxiety may affect your chances of conceiving through fertility treatments. While it is natural to be anxious about the process and its subsequent success, it doesn’t help to be tensed and stressed all the time. Instead, try your best to relax. Consider meditation, yoga or deep breathing techniques to help you stay calm. To reduce your peripheral stress factors, couples can take a few days off from work before and after the IVF cycle.

Most experts recommend iodine supplements of around 150 micrograms (0.150 milligrams) per day once the pregnancy has been confirmed. Iodine is necessary for foetal growth and healthy brain development. It is important that pregnant mothers take these supplements throughout their pregnancy.

Folic acid supplements are essential from protecting your unborn baby against spina bifida. Most experts suggest around 800 micrograms (0.8 milligrams) per day of folic acid around two months before the fertility treatment begins.