Going into an IVF cycle without any prior preparation is like running a marathon
without any training whatsoever. Most of you would never do that. Why move forward with
an IVF cycle without preparing for it and being ready? Well, that's exactly what we're going to
talk about in this video. I'm going to tell you my three tips to make your next IVF cycle a success.
Hi, my name is Dr. Marc Sklar, also known as the Fertility Expert, and I've been helping couples
for over 19 years through my online coaching programs and right here in San Diego at my clinic.
Three tips to making your cycle, your IVF cycle that is, a successful cycle. The first thing that
I want to point out to everybody is that even though I am a natural fertility expert and my goal
is to help you get pregnant naturally, about 50% of the couples that I work
with are trying to get pregnant with some form of assisted technique like IUI or IVF.
I have tons of experience coaching and taking couples through the process of in vitro
fertilization and making it a successful cycle for them. That's why I want to discuss these tips with
you today. The first thing I do want to mention is that IVF is not a guarantee. I know so many of you
going through an IVF cycle feel because of all the news that you read and all the superstars that get
pregnant, that you feel like when you go through an IVF cycle and when you make the decision to
go through an IVF cycle, that you're going to end up with a child at the end of that process.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. It's not 100% successful. I want to share some
statistics right now to give you some understanding for where things start
when you make that decision or when you're contemplating that decision. And
then we're going to get into the three tips that are going to hopefully increase those odds and
make it more successful for you. Before I read the statistics here, I also want to point out
that it's not just about getting pregnant. It's also about delivering a healthy child.
These statistics are success rates for conception from an IVF cycle, but not delivery of a healthy
child after IVF transfers. Okay? This comes from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology,
or what's called SART. They compile all the statistics and that's where you can
research the statistics of many of the clinics that you're contemplating working with. 55% of
people under the age of 35, so 55% of couples under the age of 35 will be successful with IVF.
If you are between 35 and 37, that number drops from 55% to 40%. And actually the
majority of couples who are going through IVF typically are seeking to use it are over 35.
The next tier is between 38 and 40 years of age, for couples between 38 and 40, and that number
drops to 26%. And then for couples 41 to 42, that percentage of success is 12%. And then any couple
over 43 years old, that percentage is 3.9%. You can see that those chances of success
definitely go down as we age and what this number doesn't show is that it also decreases
the more cycles you have to do, the likelihood of conception. Those numbers were for one IVF cycle,
not for multiple IVF cycles. We have to take multiple things into consideration when we're
making these decisions to move forward with IVF, which I do believe is the appropriate
stuff for many, but I also believe that many of us move in that direction a bit prematurely.
Now, if you are considering IVF, the other decision which we're not going to talk about today
is the cost. IVF is very expensive. For most people, insurance does not cover it. When
we're making those choices to move forward with IVF and invest in that process to have a child,
we want to make sure it's as successful as we can, which is why right now we're going to talk
about my three tips to make it more successful. All right, tip number one. This might not always
sound like a tip, but it is an important one. Actually, it's the most important one,
which is why it's number one, it's choose the right doctor. How are you choosing the right IVF
clinic to work with? And within that clinic, how are you choosing the right doctor to work with?
This is not such a straightforward process and decision. Many of us are going to do two
things when we start working with a clinic. We're going to speak to our OB-GYN. We're going to say,
"Who do you recommend I speak to," and they're going to give you one person to talk to.
And then the other thing that we're going to do is that we're going to ask people that we trust
and that we believe can help us and who've been through IVF to give us their recommendations.
We're going to ask maybe some friends or family members, "Do you know any doctors that you trust
for an IVF cycle?" They're going to give you their recommendations. My question back to
all of them first and foremost is why. Why are you recommending that person to your OB-GYN?
Why are you recommending that doctor for me? If it's because that's who I refer all my patients
to, then that's not the right answer for you. I'm not saying that doctor's not the right person
for you. I'm saying the answer's not the right answer, because that's not a good enough reason.
If you ask your friends or your family members who they would refer you to and you ask that question
and their answer back to you is, "Because I got pregnant there, or I know someone who got pregnant
there," that's also not the right answer. Every clinic has successes and failures.
The question back is, what did you like about that doctor or that clinic?
Why are you recommending them for me? What stands out to you that makes them a good
fit for me? If your doctor or friends can't answer that question, then you need to dig deeper. I also
recommend that you speak to multiple fertility clinics and doctors. How many? Two or three is
the right answer, I believe. You want to get a different perspective and a different take.
The doctor you work with is going to make a huge impact in your success or
failure with an IVF cycle. We want to make sure you're working with the right person.
Are they caring? Are they listening to you? Are they working in partnership with you? What are the
important things that you value in a physician and do they have those that will fulfill your needs?
These are all real questions and hopefully they'll give you real answers. These are important for
you. Okay? I want you to find the right doctor. If they're just going to put you on a cookie
cutter protocol, it's not the right fit for you. It's okay to question your doctor. When they say,
"This is the plan I'm going to use," you can ask why. What about my case makes this protocol the
appropriate protocol? Because if they're just putting you on the same plan that they've put
everybody else, it's not the right path for you. But to wrap up with tip number one,
we want to have someone who's going to work in partnership with you who
also values the same things that you do. If you value a more integrative approach,
a more natural approach, then you want to work with someone who values that as well and is going
to respect your viewpoint on that and work in tandem with you to make sure that you get what
you need. If you value different things, then you want to find someone who values the same things
and who's going to value that for you, right? We want someone who's going to listen to you,
work in partnership with you, and who's going to be caring enough to make the right choices
for you and not look at you as just a number. Tip number two, which I already started as part of tip
number one, is what is the right protocol for you? There is no one protocol that works for everybody.
How are you going to be primed? Should you be primed? Are you going to be suppressed before
a protocol? Is that the right thing for you? Do you need a lot of stimulation medication? Do
you need a little bit of stimulation medication? Maybe you need no medication. These are all
such important and real questions to ask and real important variables. This can make or break your
cycle from being successful. I have seen this over and over and over again, which is why I'm saying
that to all of you. The protocol is everything. It's going to make or break the success of it.
If your FSH is high and you're overstimulated, your pituitary is going to shut down and you're
not going to produce the same amount of follicles as you should. They need to not be using a cookie
cutter approach and really customize a protocol that fits your specific needs and case. Tip
number three, preparation. This I'm going to talk about right now in just slightly different terms.
First and foremost, every member in my program and my HOPE Coaching Program,
when they're in it, if they're going through IVF, we are working, first and foremost, to prepare you
to make that cycle successful when you go through it and we're working in tandem to hopefully
decide on the right clinic for you and the right preparation for you, the right protocol for you.
This is a team approach, and that's all part of this preparation phase. Again,
like I started this video, you wouldn't just show up to a marathon and start running.
You're not going to go very far, and it's not going to be a successful process. We want to
make sure that you are ready for that cycle. Preparation happens in multiple ways. We have to
prepare your body to be ready. We have to get your ovaries and uterine environment, the cavity of the
uterus ready for that cycle, and we have to make sure you're on the right protocol for our needs,
not just in an IVF cycle, but from a natural preparation cycle.
And that all comes down to giving you what you need for your unique situation. I just
had someone who reached out to me and said, "I've been following you for a long time,
and I started this one supplement. I heard that it's good, but my cycles got shorter
and my bleed got shorter. Is that okay?" It's not okay, right? And just because
someone else recommends a product or I recommend a product, if it's not the right fit for you,
then it might not do what we expect it to do. In this situation, it might shorten your cycle.
She's not ready for an IVF cycle because her cycles aren't long enough. You need
a specific plan that's going to give you what you need and customize your preparation to get
you ready, not anybody else, but you ready for the upcoming IVF cycle. Preparation is
tip number three to get you to have a successful cycle. And that falls back on you and your team
to get you prepared and give you the right plan to get you the results that you deserve.
If you want help customizing a plan for you to prepare your body to be ready for IVF for your
unique situation, if you want help to get you through where you are today through a
successful IVF cycle and a successful pregnancy, then I want to invite you to join my HOPE
Fertility Coaching Program. It's where I can support you to get the results that you deserve.
Use the link in the description below to apply. What do you think about my three tips?
Did you like them? If so, give me a thumbs up. Comment below and let me know what you liked
about these three tips. Was there something new that you've never thought of before? And if not,
tell me how you've chosen to pick your IVF doctor when you chose to move through IVF. I'd love to
hear from all of you and hear your comments and questions. Additionally, if you've been trying
for too long, longer than you would like, and you want more support, then I have a free fertility
guide that I'd love to share with you. If you want the resources, tips,
and tools that you need to hopefully set the right foundation and pick the right
products that have already been vetted by me, then I want to invite you to download
my free guide. Use the link in the description below. And until the next video, stay fertile.