Caffeine and IVF

[rhaynes]

I am preparing to start my 2nd IVF cycle and have read several conflicting stories regarding caffeine and the success rate of IVF. Some say no caffeine at all during and some say reduced. Does anyone out there have any input for me on this. I drink probably 2 cups of coffee every morning and 2 glasses of iced tea in the evening. Should I stop this altogether before I start down regging?

[nictor]

Hi Rhaynes...im currently on my 3rd frsh cycle,having previously done 2 fresh and 1 FET...this time ive more or less cut out all caffiene,ive switched to de caf tea bags,cut out all coffee altogether and also diet coke,im not sure if this will help or no,but im willing to try anything...

Love Nicola..xx

[cowgirlclass]

If it is any help I was addicted to caffene! I went through withdrawls. But when I started my first round of IVF I quit totally before starting stimulation and I got a BFP. The extra water is good for your system. With everything we go through it seems small!

Cowgirl

[rhaynes]

Thank you for your replies. Yes, it is all worth it so I don't have a problem giving up caffeine, I was just wanted to hear what others had to say about this.

Congratulations Cowgirl!!!!! What symptoms did you experience from your withdrawal of caffeine? Headaches?

[cowgirlclass]

yes very bad headaches for about 3 days but then I noticed how much better I felt drinking more water like less bloated before the stims, my skin was much clearer. I didn't have a bunch of issues with the stimulation medicine. My eggies were healthy. The very first night with the Gonal F I had a terrible headach but I increased my water intake.

Good luck! And I hope you get that BFP!

Cowgirl

[rouge]

after a BFN with my 1st IVF, I read that caffeine can affect the quality of one's eggs.

So when I was starting on my 2nd IVF, I stopped taking anything with caffeine in it.

Not sure whether it helped or just coincidence, but I got a BFP on my 2nd attempt... In any case, I think it's no harm quitting the caffeine and hopefully it may do some good.

[rhaynes]

Rouge,

Thank you for your response and congratulations. That is very hopeful. Did you stop caffeine altogether quite some time before your 2 IVF? I ask because I start my injections on the 25th and since I have drank coffee and tea up until now, I'm assuming I should stop now.

[rouge]

Hi, I can't recall exactly but I believe I shd have stopped when I started my injections.

All the best to u!

[PebblesUK]

Hello,

I wasn't told to avoid caffeine during our IVF so I continued with my 3-4 cups of tea a day but I only ever had 2-3 cups of coffee in a week. I did change my diet coke to caffeine free diet coke though, don't know why!

I have since read that caffeine may affect fertility. I guess we were lucky. It's not a bad thing to cut out caffeine whether going through fertility treatment or not.

Best of luck for your next cycle

Jo

[LisaB75]

Just to give you another perspective - I have drank 2-3 cups of coffee per day for 13 years at least. When i was doing IVF, not one of my doctors ever said anything about it so I continued to do it. I was very fortunate that I got pregnant on my first cycle - so the caffeine did not have a negative effect on me. I continued to drink the 2-3 cups per day - and I still do now even though I am pregnant. My doctor has assured me several times that this is not at all dangerous for my baby. I think it gets dangerous if you drink 6-8 cups - or something like that. I actually had severe headaches my whole first trimester and my doctor recommended caffeine to help cure them. Also - I do not drink soda at all. I drink a ton of water and always have. Caffeine can dehydrate you - so drink lots of water to say hydrated always - through your IVF cycle and when you get pregnant.

GOOD LUCK!

[rhaynes]

LisaB75,

Thank you for sharing. I, too, never thought anything about keeping caffeine out of my diet. I know when I was pregnant with my 1st two children, I was not a coffee drinker but with my 3rd child I did drink coffee until I figured out I was pregnant because just smelling it made me sick. I drank it all through my 1st IVF last time. Of course, I have been reading so much about caffeine, negative and positive during IVF so I wanted to hear what other people had to say. I did come across last night in the booklet from my clinic that you should restrict your caffeine intake to 2 cups a day.

I do only drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee in the morning, then I drink water all day while at work then I drink, at least, 2 glasses of iced tea in the evening.

Congratulations on your BFP! That is awesome. May I ask what meds you were on and how many eggs were they able to retrieve and transfer?

[LisaB75]

Sure you can ask!

I was on Lupron and BCPs for the first 3 weeks, then I stimmed with Bravelle and Repronex. They retrieved 13 eggs - 10 of which were mature and 7 that fertilized. I had a 5 day transfer and, by that day, only two embryos were still surviving. They were both grade 1. I had both embryos put back and one took - although I initially had very high HCG levels and I had some bright red bleeding at 6 1/2 weeks which led me to believe maybe I miscarried one. Either way - I am having a baby girl in two months so that is all that matters! Oh - and I had to have the progesterone injections in my butt for two months! They weren't fun - but it has all been well worth it!

I really hope this all works out for you! Feel free to ask me anything. These boards were a godsend for me when I was going through all of it.