We spoke with Fertility Nutritionist Rachael Robinson about the key partnership between cycle tracking and tailored nutrition when trying to conceive. Rachael supports couples looking to conceive naturally or via assisted reproductive techniques such as IUI and IVF. With firsthand knowledge on the matter, Rachael went through a long fertility journey, which included a diagnosis of low AMH, 6 cycles of IVF, 2 IUI’s, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy, before giving birth to her son Felix. Being a fertility nutritionist has allowed Rachael to work on a tailored plan for herself to optimize her chances of IVF success. OvuSense’s OvuCore played a vital role in this process, as it allowed Rachael to understand her own cycle and optimize her chances of IVF success, while also getting an indication of implantation of the embryo in advance of a positive pregnancy test. Continue reading to learn more about why a tailored nutrition plan is so important, and how it may be able to help you. 

Every Body & TTC Journey is Unique

When it comes to trying to conceive, often we can get bogged down with ovulation sticks, the ‘perfect’ fertility diet, and the ‘best’ supplements whilst filtering unhelpful suggestions from friends, family, or colleagues about what worked for them. Here’s the thing - there is no such thing as the ‘perfect fertility diet’ because we are all unique. Our DNA, lifestyles, and life experiences are all different. Why does this matter? Well, all of these factors will impact our ability to conceive. Keep reading below to learn how. 

Pairing OvuSense with Tailored Nutrition

In order to optimize our chances of success, we need to begin by understanding what is happening with our hormones on a monthly basis. Do you ovulate? Does your progesterone rise sufficiently after ovulation? Is your estrogen too high or low? When you are stressed, what happens to your hormones? Once we have a clear picture of these factors, we can start to build a tailored program using diet, supplementation, and lifestyle that works for women on an individual basis. 

One of the best ways to track these changes is by tracking your cycle in real-time with a highly accurate monitor, such as OvuCore. Temperature changes throughout your cycle can give us an indication of:

  • Ovulation
  • High / low progesterone
  • Dysregulated cortisol levels
  • Estrogen / progesterone imbalance
  • Implantation 

Continuing to wear your sensor after ovulation and until your period arrives allows you to monitor the pattern of progesterone later in the month. Symptoms such as post-ovulation spotting, PMS, tender breasts, and low energy can all indicate a progesterone imbalance. OvuSense is also very helpful in monitoring how nutrition and supplement interventions are impacting your cycle month on month. 

It is fascinating how quickly our bodies can respond and come back into balance when we get the nutrition program right. From there, using OvuSense gives us the clearest and most accurate picture of these changes in real-time.

Want to hear more from Rachael? Follow her on Instagram @rr_fertilitynutrition or via her website www.rachael-robinson.co.uk.