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Naturally or with IVF? 

Let's look at it from a nutritional perspective!

Your hormones need the same foods either way

You want a baby – maybe you've been trying for months, or you're preparing for IVF.

Although the paths may differ, the foundation is the same: preparing your body. Your hormonal system doesn't "know" whether you're trying naturally or going through assisted reproduction. At the cellular level, it needs the same nutrients, balance and support. In this post, I'll show you why a nourishing diet is essential – regardless of which path you take – and how you can consciously support your body to be ready for new life.

If you clicked here because you're not exactly sure what IVF means, scroll down for a simple explanation.


🧬 Your Hormonal System Doesn't Distinguish – Nutrition Matters for Everyone

Your cycle, ovulation, implantation, and hormone production are all nutrient-sensitive processes. Processed foods, blood sugar fluctuations and chronic inflammation can interfere with fertil­ity just as much for women trying naturally as for those preparing for IVF.

The good news: the same dietary changes support both – boosting not only your chances of conception but also your overall wellbeing. In other words: you can only benefit.

🕒 Why Is a 3-Month Preparation Period So Important?

A single egg matures over the course of roughly three months – meaning what you eat today can influence the quality of the egg released three months from now.
The same is true for hormone levels, endometrial health and immune function.

These three months are golden: a window during which you can support your body before any transfer or conception attempt takes place.
In more complex cases, you may need even more time. Repairing the body is harder than maintaining it.

⚖️ IVF Places Extra Stress on Your Body

Hormone injections, stimulation, anesthesia and embryo transfer all create significant physical – and just as importantly, emotional – strain.
Many women feel more tired, bloated, or emotionally unpredictable during treatment. This is completely normal.

Which is why having a strong foundation matters even more. A well-prepared body tolerates treatment better, recovers faster, and creates a more receptive environment for implantation.


✅ What a Hormone-Friendly Diet Supports – whether you conceive naturally or with IVF

✓ a regular, predictable cycle
✓ healthy ovulation
✓ adequate progesterone production
✓ a healthy endometrium
✓ improved implantation
✓ reduced inflammation
✓ stable blood sugar – prevention or improvement of insulin resistance 


🥗 Key Nutrients Every Woman Trying for a Baby Should Prioritize

• Folate – cell division and early fetal development
• Vitamin D – hormonal balance
• Omega-3 – inflammation reduction, healthy cell membranes
• Magnesium – stress regulation and muscle function
• Zinc & Selenium – ovulation, progesterone production, antioxidant protection
• Iron – optimal blood flow and oxygen supply to the uterus
Important: iron should be supplemented only with medical guidance. Food sources come first.


🚫 What Might Make Your Journey Harder

• white sugar and refined carbohydrates (blood sugar instability)
• trans fats (hormonal dysregulation)
• chronic stress (elevated cortisol)
• sleep deprivation
(If you are very stressed, a herbal specialist or naturopath can help choose supportive supplements.)
• nutrient-poor, processed foods


💬 Don't think nutrition matters only for natural conception

IVF cannot be "replaced" by a miracle diet –
but you give yourself a much better chance when your body is in an optimal state.

This isn't an additional burden.
It is an opportunity to regain control over something that is in your hands.


💡 A final tip

You don't have to eat perfectly. You don't have to become a "wellness guru."
But every day you make 3–4 choices about what you put into your body – and those choices matter. Both for the long term and right now.

If you want to learn how to adjust your diet according to your own cycle and your life circumstances, I'm here to help. Whether you're trying naturally or preparing for IVF, there are steps you can take today for your future baby – beginning with the very first bite. 

🔬 A Quick Overview of the IVF Process – and One Important Question to Ask Yourself

Many women don't realize how complex the IVF process is until they are already in it.
It's helpful to understand what the journey involves and what emotional and physical load it may bring.

Here is a brief overview:

1. Preparation and hormonal stimulation

At the beginning of the cycle, hormone injections are used to stimulate the ovaries so that multiple follicles mature instead of just one. This creates a higher hormonal load, often causing bloating, mood swings and fatigue.

2. Monitoring follicle growth

Ultrasound checks every 2–3 days help determine when the follicles are ready. This means frequent medical appointments.

3. Egg retrieval (Puncture)

Performed under short anesthesia. The procedure is quick, but many women feel sensitive afterward and need time to recover.

4. Fertilization and embryo development

This happens in the lab. Here it becomes clear how many embryos develop and what their quality is.

5. Embryo transfer

Physically simple for most, but emotionally the most intense – because this is where the waiting begins, filled with hope and uncertainty.

6. The two-week wait

The hormonal effects, the uncertainty, and the hyperfocus on every tiny symptom make this period emotionally very heavy. I believe it is one of the hardest two weeks in a woman's life.

💛 Before You Begin, Ask Yourself the Most Important Question

IVF is a beautiful opportunity – many families owe their children to it.
But it is also physically, emotionally and mentally demanding.
It can last many months and bring unpredictable emotional cycles.

That's why it's worth asking yourself honestly:

Am I able to go through this process right now?
Do I have the physical, emotional and lifestyle resources for it?
Can I step into this knowing it will be both hopeful and challenging?

And one of the most important questions: Is my relationship strong enough?

There is no right or wrong answer.
But it's essential that you don't drift into it – stop for a moment and consider what truly supports you, your body, your emotions, your relationship, your time, your energy.

If you do choose to go ahead, know that there is so much you can do to prepare your body.
I wrote this post to support you in that.

If you'd like, I can help you create a nutrition and lifestyle plan that guides you through the entire journey – whether you're trying naturally or preparing for IVF. 

Don't stay alone!

You don't need to eat perfectly. There's no single "right" diet. But your body responds every day to what you nourish it with. If you dream of having a baby, think of your food choices as a loving preparation for what's ahead.

Change isn't always easy – but you don't have to do it alone.
If you need help creating a hormone-friendly, fertility-supportive nutrition plan, I'm here to support you.

Reach out to me with confidence – I'm Edit Milisits, a gluten-sensitive mom of two through IVF and a conscious eater.As a nutrition consultant, I help you uncover the root cause of problmes and find the right solution together.