The COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in us having to rethink the way we live our lives. With the situation constantly changing we have had to adjust our behaviour, learn new vocabulary such as ‘social distancing’ and make sure we keep ourselves educated so we can adapt to the latest updates. For more information on this constantly changing landscape, please visit the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19.
Coronavirus and fertility
The NHS has declared that pregnant women are one of the ‘at risk’ groups and the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) has stated that all fertility treatment must be put on hold.
For many of you this will have meant having your fertility treatment cancelled, or postponed indefinitely.
For many others, you may have been about to consult a fertility clinic and are now unsure what you can do.
Until such time as you can go to a fertility clinic there are things you can do to best prepare yourself and your body to get pregnant.
Sperm and egg cells (gametes) take approximately 3 months to develop; that means the changes you make in your lifestyle today, will benefit you three months from now. We are all hoping that by then the worst of the pandemic will have passed and we will be moving towards a time when life begins to return to normal. With this in mind, you may wish to start making changes now that could help you conceive.
Optimising your fertility during self-isolation
Stress and mental health
Self-isolation is having a palpable effect on our emotions. A lack of interaction with the outside world has left many of us struggling with anxiety, stress and depression. These emotional stresses can cause your body to produce prolactin and cortisol which can affect the quality of your gametes. It is vital then to make sure you find the best ways to alleviate the impacts of this coronavirus pandemic on your mental health.
Engaging with the outside world is still possible, even if it is in less than ideal circumstances. Using video calls, regular calls, instant messaging and apps (such as Houseparty, Zoom etc.) to stay in contact with those closest to you can really help lessen the feelings of unhappiness. Other activities which have been proven to reduce stress levels include meditation, yoga and relaxing (whether that is in your bed, garden or bathtub!) which can all be done at home in isolation
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
The government recommendation at the time of writing is that we still go out for one period of exercise a day, whilst making sure we stay 2 metres away from others at all times. With this option still being available, burning calories every day is still possible despite isolation. If things change and we are advised to stay inside even for exercise, then home work-outs are a good option to help maintain a healthy weight.
On top of this, most of us now have more time at home available to prepare meals. We recommend you avoid processed foods and try to stick to fresh ingredients where you can. Processed foods can cause oxidative stress, affecting your gametes which in turn damages their DNA and can reduce your chances of conception. By leading a healthy lifestyle your body will be given the best chance to produce healthy gametes.
Supplementation
Female fertility supplements such as Impryl help ensure your body is producing the best possible quality gametes. Impryl’s unique formula is made up of a variety of carefully selected activated micronutrients designed to improve your fertility and help to optimise metabolism in all the cells of your entire body, especially egg cells. We can also recommend fertility supplements for males as these can help improve sperm cell quality in your body, leading to improved fertility.
We realise that there are many supplements available, but unlike other supplements, Impryl is based on good science; the physiology of the one-carbon cycle. There is clinical evidence showing that supporting the one carbon cycle not only boosts metabolism and improves Immunity, but also increases live birth rates too.1,2,3 Which is why Impryl is a good option for anyone trying to conceive.
We recommend you do not take other supplements containing strong antioxidants as, not only can they upset the balance that Impryl aims to achieve, they can actually damage your sperm or egg cells. Taking Impryl, just once a day, helps protect your gametes against oxidative stress, provides optimal gene expression and ensures they have sufficient energy to boost fertility. All of these factors are vital for a successful conception, click here to hear from the fertility experts, Dr Gill Lockwood and Kevin McEleny about how Impryl helps.
All the supplements at Fertility Family are brought to you by Health Medica Ltd, a UK healthcare company. Our range of high quality products is recommended by fertility specialists across the UK to increase your chances of having a baby.
During this period of isolation, we continue to offer a next working day delivery service via DPD for orders placed before 2pm and our Medical Information team is answering your emailed questions about our products.
References:
Amar E et al, 2015
Cornet D et al, 2015
Servy EJ et al, 2018
