If you undergo IVF treatments (or are planning to undergo IVF), there are many suggestions you’re likely to hear: rest well, eat healthily, keep stress to a minimum, exercise moderately, keep a positive attitude… but until now, no one has likely told you to head to Starbucks.
Well, all that may be about to change.
British researchers studying women with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS*) have discovered what they feel is an interesting side effect affecting those undergoing IVF. In a nutshell, about one third of the women the researchers studied who were both having IVF treatments AND drinking a cup o’ joe came out with better fertility treatment results than did those who were not drinking caffeine.
The study wasn’t an accident, though the results were definitely more newsworthy than perhaps anticipated.
Researchers had been doing tests with caffeine and OHSS for some time, although they weren’t necessarily connecting the results with IVF. Now, research is pointing to a possibility that caffeine may indeed have somewhat of a “neutralizing” effect upon the body when it comes to ovary over-stimulation.
So what does this mean for you as a woman involved in fertility treatments?
Although the findings from the British report are preliminary, they at least suggest that you may not have to give up your morning coffee break during IVF. In fact, it may be a darn good thing to keep caffeine in your diet. And that’s music to the ears of coffee lovers everywhere.
* OHSS symptoms run from mild (e.g., bloating, abdominal pain) to severe (e.g., life-threatening blood clots). If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to make an appointment with your doctor or, in the case of serious symptoms, head to the closest emergency room.
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