37: What you CAN do if your fertility treatment has been put on hold due to COVID-19

Due to the wide ranging effects of COVID-19, fertility treatments in many countries have been put on hold. I can’t imagine how stressful and upsetting this is to all of you who were about to start or were in the process of doing your fertility treatment.While I can’t magically make the fertility clinics reopen, what I can do is show you an alternative. And no, it won’t affect your treatment in any way.The basic but essential component of getting pregnant is that you have intercourse at the time that you’re actually fertile. You may be thinking “well, I know when I’m fertile, so if I was going to get pregnant I would’ve already!”Contrary to popular belief, there are only about 4-6 days in a cycle that you’re actually fertile, and the secret is finding out which days these are.It sounds simple, but 87% of couples don’t know how to do this. When you learn how, it’s quite straightforward. In fact, many couples on the IVF waitlist actually didn’t need it – WHAT? Yes, you heard that right. They just needed to know how to identify their fertile window and understand the 3 essential components to getting pregnant. 50% of them conceived naturally after getting taught how to identify their fertility window and understanding the three most important fertility ‘ingredients’.This is waaaay harder if you have PCOS, because many of us have irregular cycles.  And no, apps and ovulation sticks can’t accurately predict it either in PCOS because our luteinising hormone is already much too high.So - because I know so many of you are in the unfortunate position where your fertility treatment has been paused or deferred until a later date - in today’s podcast I take you through the 3 essential components of getting pregnant (my fertile ingredients), and what control you have over them. I feel for all of you who can’t go through with your IVF at the moment - because for a lot of you, it’s been a long wait and painful journey to even get to this point. So I really hope this episode can help you and be useful.This episode is for you if:You’re trying to conceive (TTC) or plan to in the futureYou’ve got PCOS of any typeYour fertility treatment has been put on hold or deferred due to COVID-19Your doctor or specialist has told you that you NEED fertility treatment to get pregnantSome things we cover in this episode:The three most important things to know for fertilityHow long you are fertile for in your a cycleHow to determine when that fertile time isWhy you can’t use ovulation kits or apps to identify your fertile windowThe importance of the luteal phaseWhy your doctor and fertility specialists wouldn’t have highlighted this too youHow effective this method isReferences and Resources:Fertility-awareness Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Women Seeking Fertility AssistanceNatural Conception Rates in Sub-fertile Couples Following Fertility Awareness Training