If you are trying to conceive naturally or through IUI, you can continue taking egg quality supplements until you get a positive pregnancy test.

If you are trying to conceive through IVF, most supplements discussed in the book can be stopped the day before egg retrieval, because at that point they are no longer needed to support egg development.  Your doctor may advise you to stop taking DHEA earlier, because it performs its role on the early stage follicles and is not needed during stims (high testosterone can also be counterproductive during stims).

Out of an abundance of caution, you may also wish to stop taking omega 3 and vitamin E when you start stims, or about two weeks before retrieval, to minimize the risk of bleeding during the procedure.

After egg retrieval, the supplements that are helpful to continue taking in preparation for embryo transfer  are:

• Prenatal
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Possibly CoQ10/Ubiquinol

(See the post on preparing for embryo transfer)

After embryo transfer, you can then stop vitamin E and continue with your prenatal and vitamin D. 

There may be some benefit to continuing CoQ10 after embryo transfer and during early pregnancy to help reduce the risk of miscarriage associated with immune or clotting disorders. This is discussed in chapter 6 of my pregnancy book.

Pregnancy Supplements

Once you are pregnant, you may need to add a few more specific supplements to further support your baby’s growth and development. This includes choline, omega-3 fish oil, calcium, and iron. Which of these supplements you need to add, and what dose you should take, depends on your diet, your prenatal, and it can also vary by trimester. For detailed guidance, see my pregnancy book It Starts with the Bump: Evidence-Based Strategies for a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy.