What You Can Control
When undergoing IVF, much lies outside your direct control — the number of eggs retrieved, embryo quality, implantation. But a meaningful part of what determines your outcome is within your influence: your lifestyle, your preparation, and the condition in which your body enters the treatment cycle.
At PSFC OMR, Chennai, we encourage all patients to consider evidence-based lifestyle optimisation alongside their medical treatment. These changes will not override clinical factors — but they can meaningfully support them.
1. Achieve a Healthy BMI
Body weight has a well-documented impact on IVF outcomes. Both underweight and overweight BMI categories are associated with reduced success rates, altered hormonal profiles, and higher complication risks.
- A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is associated with the most favourable IVF outcomes
- Obesity (BMI over 30) is linked to reduced ovarian response to stimulation, lower egg quality, and higher rates of early pregnancy loss
- Very low BMI is associated with poor ovarian reserve response and menstrual irregularities
If your BMI is outside the healthy range, even a modest change of 5 to 10 percent of body weight before starting treatment can improve outcomes. Your care team can provide guidance on safe, sustainable approaches.
2. Stop Smoking
Smoking is one of the most clearly established modifiable risk factors for poor IVF outcomes. Tobacco smoke chemicals directly damage egg DNA, impair sperm quality, reduce ovarian reserve, and lower implantation and live birth rates. The impact affects both active smokers and those regularly exposed to secondhand smoke.
Quitting smoking at least three months before IVF is recommended, as this allows time for egg quality to recover. Support for stopping smoking is available through your GP and specialist team.
3. Moderate Alcohol Consumption
Even moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with reduced IVF success rates in research studies. Alcohol affects oestrogen metabolism, disrupts hormonal signalling, and may impair embryo development. The safest approach during the preparation phase and throughout the IVF cycle is to avoid alcohol entirely. This applies to both partners.
4. Optimise Diet
A balanced, nutrient-dense diet supports egg quality, sperm quality, and the hormonal environment needed for successful conception. Evidence supports the following:
- A Mediterranean-style diet — rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, oily fish, and olive oil — is associated with higher IVF success rates in several studies
- Reduce ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and trans fats, which are associated with worse reproductive outcomes
- Adequate folate (through leafy green vegetables and supplementation) is essential for neural tube development and should be started before the treatment cycle
- Omega-3 fatty acids — from oily fish or supplementation — support egg quality and reduce inflammation
- Both partners should maintain adequate vitamin D levels — deficiency is common and is associated with reduced IVF success
💡 Tip: Start your folic acid supplementation (400 to 800 mcg per day) at least one month before your IVF cycle begins.
5. Manage Stress Actively
While stress alone is unlikely to prevent IVF success, chronic unmanaged stress raises cortisol levels, which can suppress the hormonal signalling needed for optimal ovarian function and implantation. Active stress management is worth investing in throughout the treatment journey.
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has demonstrated benefits in fertility patients in multiple studies
- Yoga specifically designed for fertility support has shown benefit for psychological wellbeing and hormonal balance
- Acupuncture is used by many fertility patients for stress reduction; while the evidence for direct impact on IVF success is mixed, it has a good safety profile and may support wellbeing
6. Exercise Appropriately
Regular moderate exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, supports a healthy BMI, and promotes psychological wellbeing — all of which benefit fertility and IVF outcomes. However, high-intensity endurance exercise (such as long-distance running or intense daily training) is associated with disrupted ovulation and should be moderated during the stimulation phase.
Recommended during IVF preparation: brisk walking, swimming, gentle cycling, and yoga. Avoid high-impact, high-intensity exercise once stimulation begins.
7. Consider Targeted Supplementation
Several supplements have evidence supporting their use in IVF preparation:
| Supplement | Evidence For Use | Recommended For |
| Folic acid / methylfolate | Neural tube defect prevention, embryo development | All women starting IVF |
| CoQ10 (Ubiquinol) | Supports mitochondrial function in eggs | Women over 35, poor responders |
| Vitamin D | Associated with better implantation rates | Those with documented deficiency |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Egg quality, anti-inflammatory | Both partners |
| Antioxidants (Vitamin C, E, Zinc) | May reduce sperm DNA fragmentation | Men with oxidative stress findings |
Always discuss supplementation with your specialist before starting — some supplements interact with medications or are not appropriate in certain clinical contexts.
Conclusion
Your lifestyle choices in the weeks and months before and during IVF are not incidental — they are part of your treatment. Each of the changes described in this guide has evidence supporting its positive impact on reproductive health.
At PSFC OMR, Chennai, our team will help you develop a personalised preparation plan that integrates medical treatment with evidence-based lifestyle support.
FAQs
How long before IVF should I start making lifestyle changes?
Ideally, three to six months before your cycle begins. Egg development takes approximately 90 days, so changes made three months prior can meaningfully influence the eggs retrieved in your cycle.
