Before stimulation is about understanding your starting point and creating a practical plan. We look at your previous response, cycle history, symptoms, nutrition, sleep, digestion, stress load, medications, supplements and relevant pathology. This is where we identify modifiable gaps and prepare your body for the demands of treatment.

Stimulation usually means daily medicines with repeat scans and blood tests to track follicle growth. You may notice bloating, pelvic heaviness, fatigue, headaches or emotional changes. This stage is about knowing what is expected, keeping meals, hydration, bowel habits and sleep steady, and noticing when a symptom needs prompt attention.

The trigger is timed before egg retrieval, which is usually a short procedure. The days around it can bring tenderness, bloating, constipation and fatigue. Planning simple meals, fluids, rest and a gentle recovery routine can make this phase feel more manageable. With PMOS or a high follicle count, it is especially important to understand the symptoms that need urgent review.

After fertilisation and embryo culture, transfer may be fresh or frozen in a later cycle. The transfer is usually brief, while the waiting period can feel emotionally long. This section is about practical consistency: prescribed treatment timing, regular meals, bowel comfort, sleep, gentle movement and support for the nervous system. Bed rest and complicated rituals are not required.

A structured review can bring the moving parts together: blood results, treatment dates, medications, supplements, herbs, nutrition and previous responses. We check what is appropriate for the phase you are in, what may need to be paused, and what questions you want answered before the next step.

This is where quality matters more than quantity. A 2024 review of randomised trials in women with diminished ovarian reserve found that CoQ10 pretreatment was associated with more oocytes retrieved and higher clinical pregnancy, but the authors also noted limitations in the evidence and the need for better trials. That is a reason for a thoughtful discussion, not a promise. Myo-inositol may be relevant in selected PMOS or insulin-resistance patterns, but current international guidance considers inositol for infertility experimental because benefits and risks remain uncertain. NAC and other antioxidant strategies may also be considered individually. I use your history, bloods, treatment phase and goals to decide what is worth discussing - never a generic stack.

Naturopathic support is personalised to your history, treatment phase and goals. It may include:

• Diet and nourishment: practical, protein-rich meals; steady blood sugar; fibre, hydration and an antioxidant-rich pattern that is realistic to follow.

• Lifestyle foundations: sleep, movement, stress regulation, digestion and bowel regularity — the everyday factors that influence how prepared and resilient you feel.

• Pathology and history review: looking at relevant blood results, symptoms, cycle patterns, previous responses and nutrient status to identify modifiable gaps.

• Supplement and herbal review: considering options such as CoQ10, myo-inositol, NAC, magnesium or carefully selected herbal support when appropriate, with attention to quality, interactions and timing.

• PMOS and metabolic support: individualised strategies for insulin sensitivity, ovulation patterns, inflammation and the practical challenges of a high follicle count.

• Treatment-phase planning: knowing what may be suitable before stimulation, what needs to change during medications, and what should be paused around retrieval or transfer.

• Recovery and emotional support: simple plans for the days around procedures, the waiting period and the next step, without adding pressure or perfectionism.

The aim is thoughtful, evidence-informed care that makes your IVF experience feel clearer, more organised and more supported.