Foods to Avoid During IVF

• Avoid alcohol during in-vitro fertilization treatment.
  

• Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the beans or leaves used and how it was prepared. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine on average while black tea has typically about 80 mg. A 12-ounce glass of caffeinated soda contains anywhere from 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember, chocolate contains caffeine -- the amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar is equal to 1/4 cup of coffee.
  

• The use of saccharin is strongly discouraged during IVF because it can cross into the uterine lining and may remain in the uterine tissues. But, the use of other non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA is acceptable. These FDA-approved sweeteners include aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). An all natural diet is preferred during this time.  Try to drink water as much as possible.
  

• Decrease the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 65 grams of fat or less per day.
  

• Limit cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less per day.
  

• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury.
  

• Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. There’s no need to avoid hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
  

• Avoid raw fish, especially shellfish like oysters and clams.
  

• DO NOT SMOKE!!
  

• This is a modified list adapted from the typical dietary restrictions during pregnancy.
  

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Foods to Avoid