@ berry bass, sometimes you have to teach your man the way to treat you. You've spoken to him, he doesn't listen and still carries on with his friend. He's chatting with ladies, this one don pass me. I'll advice you to go read back to Seanbells advice some months back. I think she adviced someone with very similar case.

@ Sotum,are you mad? You want to kill yourself because you don't have a child. Oga take am easy o. What if it was poverty? And you can't afford food or still you don't have a job. God doesn't give us a burden we can't bear o. Everybody dey carry one thing or the other. Anyway have you had tests done? Treatment? Just let us know what your medical condition is and we can be of help re prayers and gynaecologist.

Blue film What won't we see in this Nairaland. Pls na fore play you and your DH need not blue film.

Amin Beloved!! How are you feeling tho? May ALLAH make it easy for us all! What happened??

@ all, right now I'm taking only pregnacare, vitamin D( cos I'm black lol and we need more of it, fish oil, inositol and coQ enzyme

Melatonin is a sleeping drug and research has shown that it helps improve egg quality. If you do have that prob but you won't know unless you have a treatment.

Always true, inspirational message!

@ chi, Happy Anniversary in advance. May God continue to bless your union.

Please find below a list of vitamins and supplement for improving your chances of conceiving for both men and women. I have collated information from hours of online research and hopefully have the majority of the latest info added here, as well as the required dosages (often in ranges as usage varies even with the experts!). Please though note that I am not a doctor and this is what I took (and it worked for me), so feel free to do more of your own research and adjust to what suits you and your partner. Please also feel free to add further info if you come across something. I have kept it simple as I often find there is just too much info to wade through, when you just want answers, but if you do google searches, you will find more info on all.

As both eggs and sperm take around 3 months to make, it is advisable to start taking most of these 3 months prior to conceiving/treatment.

General info for both:
Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day (very very important). Drink lots of green tea (for the antioxidants), but don’t drink with iron or folic acid as tannin inhibits absorption. No caffeine -even decaf coffee/tea contains some caffeine – rather stick to herbal teas (and make sure these are true herbal teas and not black tea flavoured). No alcohol. No smoking. Try and eat organic food or at least non genetically modified food. Get some exercise to improve blood flow and wellbeing. Avoid strong chemicals and try and use natural products for skin (coconut oil for moisturiser) and general household (e.g. white vinegar for cleaning). If using a lubricant – use egg white rather than store bought ones as the latter may damage sperm.

For Women, these are the most important ones, on a daily basis, take:

Zinc 15 mg.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Critical to the rapid development of the egg within the follicle especially with IVF where many eggs are developing at the same time. Helps prevent miscarriages.

Vitamin C: 500mg - 750mg.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Corrects luteal-phase-defect as it boosts progesterone and oestrogen levels. Improves pregnancy rates and helps prevents miscarriages. Too much Vitamin C can dry up cervical mucous

Vitamin E: 200 IUIs.
Take prior to conception. Improves egg quality

Vitamin D : Between 1500 IUIs - 2000 IUIs .
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Ideal level for improved fertility is between 50 - 80 ng/ml of Vitamin D in your blood. Vitamin D3 is best form of the vitamin. Ensure that you also have taken Vitamin A and K to balance the Vitamin D. Improves fertility. Not more than 4000 IUIs per day. Very high levels (240000 IUIs) shown to reduce fertility. Problems arise when you have too much vitamin D and too little vitamins A and K

Vitamin B6: 10mg per day.
Take with other B vitamins to help with the absorption - especially B12. Can increase to 50mg when short term booster is needed. Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Zinc helps absorption. Lengthens luteal phase and helps produce progesterone. The set tolerable upper limit is 100mgs per day. Higher doses can cause nerve ending damage. B6 can disguise a B12 deficiency/anaemia, so increase your B12 if taking higher doses of B6. Higher levels of B12 (than the RDA) are safe to take. Do not take more than 100mgs unless prescribed by a doctor. Higher doses should only be taken for a short term period

Vitamin B complex – take a multivitamin with around the RDA of each in it.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Balances out hormones and encourages pregnancy. Listed here are the RDAs for females:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) 1.1mg
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 1.1mg
Vitamin B3 (niacin or niacinamide) 14mg
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 5mg
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, or pyridoxamine, or pyridoxine hydrochloride) 1.3mg
Vitamin B7 (biotin) 30mcg
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) 400mcg
Vitamin B12 (various cobalamins; commonly cyanocobalamin in vitamin supplements) 2.4mcg

Vitamin A: 700IUIs – 900IUIs.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Promotes better cervical fluid. Assists the follicles in maturing properly. Contains important antioxidants. Important for DNA replication. Do not exceed this dose (so if included in a multivitamin, do not take extra). Avoid the synthetic version of vitamin A - high levels (10,000 IUs + a day) have been shown to increase the chances of birth defects

Selenium: 100ug twice a day = total 200ug.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Promotes implantation, prevents miscarriage. Don't exceed dose as can be toxic
Myo-Inositol: 2g twice a day = total 4g (2000mg) per day.
Taken from 3 months prior to conception. Improves egg quality. Helps restore fertility in woman with PCOS. https://sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/supplements-and-miscarriage/d-chiro-inositol

Melatonin: 3mg per day taken at night.
Take for 1-3 months prior to conception. Improves egg quality by reducing the level of an oxidizing agent called 8-OHdG. Don’t take long term.

L'Arginine: 500mg - 2000mg per day (i.e. 0.5g - 2g).
Take for 1-3 months prior to conception. Improves egg quality and uterine blood flow.

DHEA: 25mg three times per day = total 75mg.
Start on lower doses and build up. Start taking at least 3 months prior to conception (I found 6 months better). Stop at pregnancy (or EC in IVF). Improves egg quality. Usually for older ladies (40yrs+) with diminished ovarian reserves

Iron: 14mg.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Take with Vitamin C. Tannin inhibits the absorption, so don't take with drinks that contain tannin e.g. green tea. A deficiency can reduce fertility by 50%

Folic acid (= Vitamin B9): 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) twice a day = total 800ug.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Tannin inhibits the absorption, so don't take with drinks that contain tannin e.g. green tea. Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Taken prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduces the risk of a serious neural tube defect in the baby by up to 70%. May increase pregnancy rates and prevent miscarriages. Can take up to 4000 micrograms per day prescribed if family history of neural defects

Fish oil (Omega Oil/essential fatty acids): 1g - 5g per day (i.e. about 200mg - 1000mg).
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Can take some flax seed and some fish oil tablets. Anti-inflammatory. Improves blood flow to uterus. Reduction of NK cell activity (take 5g dosage for this). Use body only fish oil as liver may contain mercury (i.e. not cod liver oil). Also Cod liver oil has too much vitamin A in it, so avoid. Be careful not to take too much if on blood thinners.

Evening Primrose Oil: 1000mg per day for first 14 days of cycle. Stop taking at ovulation up until next menstruation.
Stop at pregnancy. Increases quality and quantity of cervical mucus. Anti-inflammatory reduces narrowing of blood vessels & promotes blood flow. Can bring on uterine contractions and thus the start of your menstrual cycle

Co Q10/ Co Enzyme Q10: 200mg - 600mg.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy - but scale down to maximum 200mg dose on falling pregnant. (Costco has best price). Improving egg quality because of its powerful effect on regenerating the mitochondria - the tiny energy factories of each cell - known to be a factor in age-related infertility. Reduces the risk of pre eclampsia.

Aspirin: 75mg.
Take prior to conception and throughout pregnancy but stop at least 24 hours before giving birth (need the clotting factor). Anti-inflammatory. Stops minute blood clots forming in the uterus (which could starve embryo of oxygen).

Manganese – take RDA, as part of a multivitamin
Deficiency may lead to defective ovulation. Take with Vitamin C (but note – it competes with iron for absorption)

Magnesium- take RDA, as part of a multivitamin
Needed to help the pituitary and ovaries produce the high levels of oestrogen and progesterone needed to secure pregnancy until placenta takes over.

Other supplements which could be taken:
Wheatgrass – Whatever the dosage is on the tin
Full of antioxidants. Mostly anecdotal evidence as to the effect on fertility.

N-Acetyl Cysteine: 1.2g per day.
For woman with PCOS

D-Chiro-Inositol: 600mg
Take from 2 months prior to conception. For woman with PCOS - restores ovulation and helps with other aspects of the syndrome

Alpha-Lipolic Acid: 600mg twice a day = 1200mg total
For woman with PCOS

Bee Propolis: 500mg
Extremely anti-inflammatory therefore excellent for endometriosis sufferers

Royal Jelly: 500mg three times a day = 1500mg
Improves egg quality although mostly anecdotal evidence

Cough medicine: Two teaspoons (200mg) three times per day, taken orally. Five days before and day of ovulation (6 days total)Guaifenesin must be the only active ingredient e.g. Robitussin brand. Loosens the cervical mucus helping sperm on their journey. Counteracts negative Clomid effects outlined here. Clomid associated with less cervical fluid, thinner uterine lining and development of hostile mucus. If taking Clomid, wait until day after last Clomid pill.

Vitex (Chaste berry): 35mg
Take for first 14 days of cycle in morning. Normalises your menstruation cycle. Restarts periods which have stopped. Lengthens luteal phase defects. Lowers high prolactin levels. If you have a regular cycle do not take as it may mess up the cycle. Don't take with Clomid - or any drug like Clomid - they counter act each other.

Human growth hormone: 4mg per day
From day 21 of previous cycle to day of pregnancy test. May help poor responders improve. Varying success has been reported. Given as part of IVF protocol - so prescribed and monitored is advised


For Men, these are the most important ones, on a daily basis, take:
Vary dosages according to severity of semen issues. For higher doses, take half morning and half evening. Remember it takes 3 months to make semen

Zinc: 15mg -50mg
Higher sperm count. If you take higher levels of zinc for more than a few weeks, add 1-3mg copper to prevent copper deficiency

Vitamin C: 200mg - 1000mg
Less clumping of sperm. Higher quantity (up to 140%) and better quality sperm

Vitamin E: 400 IUIs -800 IUIs.
Improves semen quality and motility by up to 2.5 times

Vitamin D: Between 600 IUI - 1000 IUI
Vitamin D3 is best form of the vitamin. Ensure that you also have taken Vitamin A and K (or have sufficient of these) to balance the Vitamin D. Improves sperm mobility and morphology. Not more than 4000 IUIs per day should be taken. Problems arise when you have too much vitamin D and too little vitamins A and K

Vitamin B Complex: 1 per day - around the RDA for each component.

Vitamin B12: 10-1000mcg
Helps balance testosterone & LH/FSH secretions. Higher quantity (one study up from 20 to 100 million/ml on 1000mcg dose)

L'Arginine: 200mg - 1000mg per day
A natural Viagra - improves erectile function, Increases quantity of sperm (by up to 250%). Improves sperm motility & health. Avoid if you have herpes as can promote an outbreak

Co Q10/ Co Enzyme Q10: 30mg-300mg
Improves sperm motility

Pyconogenol: 25mg-200mg
Improves sperm morphology by up to 40%

Selenium: 70mcg-200mcg
Can double sperm count. Improves quality of sperm. Toxic in high doses so stick to max 200mcg

L-Carnitine: 1g - 3g per day
Improves sperm count. Improves sperm motility

Vitamin A (take as part of a multivitamin) - Take RDA
Improves sperm production

Omega Oil/essential fatty acids: 1g - 7g per day (i.e. approximately 200mg - 1200mg )
Take a mix of flax seed oil and fish oil. Improves sperm count. Use body only fish oil as liver may contain mercury (i.e. not cod liver oil). Also Cod liver oil has too much vitamin A in it. Be careful not to take too much if on blood thinners.

Good luck everybody!!!

@ Dreamsinc you're such a STAR! I Love you sis!!!!!

@safe, I swear your kolo is flashing red!!M how does your DH cope with you? Na Chinese medicine I want got me cracking up you're a case!!!

@ All hope you're all good!

Love and kisses from moi!!

@ Honeybony, take heart my sister. They say if you have problems there's always someone somewhere worse off than you. Don't let miscarriage take over your life. You've had a lot of good advice and pls heed to them. So what his friends all have kids, yours will come IA. Don't worry about what you don't have, I know it's not easy but you gat your husband by your side. What else do you want. I pray God makes it easy for you.

@ peace50, with IVF abroad, it has its own positives and negatives. You will get in touch via email and you would have to do the leg work yourself. You will have to do all the required tests by yourself I.e. FSH, LH. Though I haven't been to that particular clinic, most abroad clinics are quiet good. Go to Fertility friends and check the review of the clinic. You will also have to do all your scans at a local hospital unless you want to be in Turkey throughout the whole cycle.

Hi Ladies,

This also happened in the UK last year, a couple brought their baby from Naija.Test was carried out to check both paternity and maternity and it was negative. They had to go to court but they eventuslly won. Check the link below:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19996987

Salam,
@ Rainy day, your levels are alright but did you by any chance had your Oestradiol tested as well? This needs to Be low in conjunction with your FSH. As long as your cycle is between 28-30 days, that should be alright but also ask your doctor.

Lol at irregular, irregular means anything from 2 months to a year. You better be doing Alhamdullah that it comes every month. That was my fear before but my doctor pacified me when I asked the same question. Just make sure you have your Oestradiol tested as well. That gives a good picture of your fertility.

@ Ticha, how is it going? Hope ure enjoying the bank holiday?

Sorry to crash your thread Ladies!

@ all, if you stop the diet, your weight will creep back on.

Right now your body is forced to be on ketosis. The best way you can ever lose weight is little food and exercise. No pain no gain my sister. I did it before, I really loved the bar esp the chocolate , milk shake et all, not a big fan of the soup.

Good Luck sis!

@cocodiva thanks a lot. I didn't visit him o, What is quite shocking is that the surahs are from Quran. Read surah yasin, asri,inshirah, zalzalah. etc etc. So me I no Know. But how can prayer from Quran invoke jinns? It seems I'm so clueless in the spiritual aspect of things. Below is one I've done in the past sef.

Salam Ladies,

Hope you all enjoyed your May Day ! It's bank holiday today not looking forward to work tomorrow jare.but Alhamdullah I'm glad I've got something to keep me busy!

When this guy calls the Naija wife na soso whisper whisper. Can you believe the Two women didn't know about one another that was 2 years ago. Maybe they do now only God knows o. It's so easy for a man to move on. Women will wait and wait ESP in Naija settings.

Madam Nwando the investigator. . It's good to be our sisters keeper o. I can only imagine what this woman is going through 6 years without a man. Make thunder fire papers o.

Omo I no go lie, I know someone this happened to o, my husband's friend. My husband is always asking about his wife in Naija and he's always comparing the 2 sef. He has moved on big time, has a kid sef and the wife in Naija is still waiting with a son. This guy even converted to Christian all in the name of papers, although married to a Naija girl over here. Wetin eyes no fit see.

Dayo has asked very good questions, think about those questions and move on.Time waits for no man. You want to look back and know you've made the right decision. May God be with you.

Happy New Month Ladies!

Happy Belated Birthday to F. Hope it was a good one.


@ Dreamsinc, Pls we want the recipe of banana cake, my favourite. Yum yum.

Happy Friday y'll!!!!!!

Prednilosone, clexane - these are drugs that dr prescribe for recurrent miscarriage.

Might just be your immunes fighting the pregnancy.

Has your doctor recommended anything? Low dose aspirin 75mg, steroids etc to stop this from reoccurring

Hi Honeybony? Where are you based?

ASA,

I'm so enjoying your story Miz Naijababes, you write so well and when u talked about MAN mosque, it brought many memories. I think every Naija in London back in d days at one point or the other went to that mosque before the influx of Naijas in London. I might have bumped into you back in the days as well. How are your lil uns ESP that cheeky lil boy of urs. I also followed ur reality show. Anyway not to digress, I wait in anticipation for the follow up of your story.

Oya everybody I now have a name change. My name na Neetle from today.

Congrats the 2 N's. wishing u 2 a safe pregnancy.

Neetle

@abibyy, u need to sue the dr. He knew you had H and still went ahead and did ET when he knew the embryos would be poisoned. You need to go back to him armed with questions. I'm about to sleep but will post more in the morn IA

@ Beloved, I had a phone consultation with Dr Sher, he's a salesman but very very good. I think CIRM is very good for MF( it's the one in NY right with Dr Kwak). Now I know I'm not crazy. I don't know how it works in US, but can you get your Doctor to prescribe and get a nurse to infuse it for you. I know I'm a bad girl!!

Ignorance can be bliss. I've read so much, it's unbelievable. May ALLAH make it easy for us!

@ Beloved and everyone who is interested in AMH test.

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=304637.0

@ Hebrew,Congrats to yourself and DH. We will all be joining you soon by the Grace of God.

@ Beloved you might not need to do all of the above tests. Cos if ALLAH says its the time no medical report matters at the end of the day.

@ Beloved, I'm not a believer of AMH test, I'll tell you why. When I did my 1st IVF, AMH was a new thing then ( i feel very old nowlol) was 26 and I had an AMH reading of 20 something which was satisfactory produced 13 eggs but I always get low fertilisation cos of DH's spermatozoa, the 2nd IVF I produced 15 eggs this from a satisfactory woman oh, the 3rd by day 10 I had about 14 eggs and I had re-done my AMH test and it was poor. Cycle 4, I won't really talk about that because it was NHS and during follicle count I had about 13.

Then I switched clinic and changed to the top guns ARGC who doesn't believe in AMH and do very close monitoring and would turn you away if your FSH was more than 10. I had a whopping 24 eggs collected, I was their ideal candidate, guess what messed if up big time, DHs spermatozoa again,

The reason I shed a light into my background is because my first AMH result was satisfactory in 2006 my second AMH was poor in 2009. And I do produce a lot of eggs.

The top gun clinics in UK don't do this test but closely monitor you and tweak your mess accordingly.

Even SHER institute in USA don't go by this test, there's a test you can do I think it's called the beta 3 integrin test that endometriosis patients do, pls do that. And also you have endometriosis you might have inflammatory do all the immune testing as well. My advice babes and Also believe it will happen and it will. Don't rely on all this and also get Alan Beers's book: Is your body baby friendly. He touched in Endometriosis and this can affect your immunes.

Also welcome Jarus, saw your reality show on the family thread. How is the family?

ASA.
@ Modalayo, welcome to the thread! I pray ALLAH answers all our prayers!

@ coco diva, why did your dr change your protocol in the middle of down regulating? Were you not responding well to buserelin? With some people it's better to just go on short protocol. FF female factor.

It's also important to be on supplements whilst we are waiting be it natural or tx wise.

Have a nice weekend sisters!

ASA,

@ Venuss, my heart bleeds for you. It's even more difficult when you've got MF. Especially when it's beyond your control. I say everyday I wish it was FF because if na drugs I fit take anything. I'm on a cocktail of drugs too but DH nada. Life is just not fair babes!

Ok you need to sit your DH down and tell him you're not ready to do whatever he wants you to do if its against Islam. You too need to sit down and map your next direction. My two pence worth.

My Aunty even suggested I came down to Naija and do donor spermatozoa.

@ Cocodiva, I've done Hysteroscopy, everything you can think of, I'm like a battery charged chicken I can produce enough egg sef for everybody in our close lol but o ye ALLAH o.

I need to go and eat sef before I get emotional.