The 5 Most Difficult Phases of IVF

I. Ovarian Stimulation (Frequent Injections)

1. Daily scheduled injections causing bruising on the abdomen;

2. Frequent hospital visits for blood draws and ultrasounds, difficult for working individuals to take leave;

3. Soaring estrogen levels, making emotions volatile;

Solutions

• Learn to self-inject (follow video tutorials, choose areas with more abdominal fat);
• Request flexible work hours from your employer;
• Take vitamin B6 supplements and meditate for 10 minutes daily.

II. Before and After Egg Retrieval (Ascites Warning)

1. Abdominal bloating akin to four months of pregnancy upon waking from general anesthesia;

2. Chugging sports drinks and winter melon soup, resulting in frequent bathroom trips (10-20 times a day);

3. Worrying about low egg count or poor quality.

Solutions

• Start taking Lingli (1-2 bottles daily) and protein powder (60g daily) in advance; post-surgery, drink electrolyte water and Lingli;
• For ascites, drink Lingli or a infusion of tangerine peel and roasted malt, which is more effective than winter melon soup;
• If fewer than 5 eggs are retrieved, prioritize frozen embryos; don't insist on fresh embryo transfer.

III. Embryo Report Day (Mystery Box)

1. Only 2 embryos develop from 16 retrieved eggs;

2. Feeling devastated upon hearing 'poor embryo grade';

3. Struggling to decide whether to continue blastocyst culture or freeze immediately.

Solutions

• Familiarize yourself with embryo grading beforehand (for day-3 embryos, cell count matters; for blastocysts, look for 4AA/4BB);
• Before blastocyst culture, check the male partner's sperm DNA fragmentation index (if >30%, recommend freezing directly);
• Tell yourself: 'As long as there is one high-quality embryo, there is hope!'

IV. Before and After Embryo Transfer (Emotional Rollercoaster)

1. The embarrassment of Crinone gel staining your underwear;

2. Afraid to cough or even laugh;

3. Obsessively checking early pregnancy symptoms and matching them.

Solutions

• Switch to progesterone injections;
• Live normally, walk for 30 minutes daily (to improve endometrial blood flow);
• Start watching comedy shows immediately after transfer.

V. The Waiting Period for Results (Intense Anxiety)

1. Testing for HCG as early as day 5, and suffering insomnia after seeing a negative result;

2. Adjusting the test strip to maximum brightness to look for a faint line;

3. Sleepless night before the blood test due to anxiety.

Solutions

• Wait until day 14 to test (fresh embryos implant later);
• Have your partner hide all test strips. Anxiety can cause the body to reject the embryo; the more relaxed you are, the easier it is to implant.