Summer feels like it was made for other people's good news. Pregnancy announcements at barbecues. Baby shower invitations in your inbox. The casual, sun-soaked optimism of long evenings that can make a fertility journey feel lonelier than ever.
But here's something worth holding onto: summer is actually one of the best times to prepare for an IVF or frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle. Longer days, better food, more opportunities to move your body, and for many people, a little more breathing room in the schedule. If you have a cycle on the horizon, this season is working with you, not against you.
Whether this is your first retrieval, first transfer or you're returning after a cycle that didn't go as hoped, this guide is for you.
IVF vs. FET: What's the difference?
Quick refresher, because prep overlaps but isn't identical for both.
IVF means stimulating your ovaries with injectable hormones to produce multiple eggs, retrieving those eggs under sedation, fertilizing them in a lab, and either transferring a fresh embryo or freezing for later.
FET uses embryos already created from a previous cycle or a donor, thawed and transferred into a prepared uterus. Most clinics now prefer FET over fresh transfer because outcomes are comparable or better, and it gives your body time to recover from stimulation.
What you eat in the next 90 days matters more than you think
Egg quality is largely shaped over the 90-day window before retrieval. That's not a reason to be perfect, it's a reason to be consistent.
Prioritize protein. Follicular development, embryo quality, and endometrial receptivity all benefit from adequate protein intake. Most reproductive endocrinologists recommend 1.2-1.6g per kilogram of body weight daily. Eggs, chicken, legumes, Greek yogurt, and fish are your foundations.
Balance your blood sugar even without PCOS. Insulin resistance affects egg quality and implantation success in all women, not just those with a PCOS diagnosis. Reducing ultra-processed carbohydrates, increasing fibre, and eating balanced meals matters here.
The Mediterranean diet is the gold standard. Multiple studies link this eating pattern vegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish, whole grains with improved IVF outcomes. It's anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar friendly, and sustainable. You don't need a fertility meal plan. You need real food, regularly.
Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Even moderate alcohol intake is associated with lower live birth rates. Caffeine is more nuanced, but most REs recommend staying under 200mg a day (roughly one cup of coffee). Summer mocktails and herbal iced teas are genuinely your friend right now.
The lifestyle factors that actually move the needle
Vitamin D. Low levels (below 30 ng/mL) are linked to poorer IVF outcomes, lower implantation rates, and higher miscarriage risk. Don't assume summer sun is handling this get your levels tested and supplement if needed.
Sleep. Melatonin, produced during sleep, plays a direct role in protecting egg quality. Summer light disrupts sleep cycles for a lot of people. Blackout curtains and a consistent bedtime aren't luxuries. They're genuinely reproductive medicine.
Walking. 7,000-10,000 steps daily improves insulin sensitivity, reduces cortisol, and supports cardiovascular health without the physiological stress of intense exercise. Summer makes this achievable in a way January rarely does.
Heat exposure; Sperm are temperature-sensitive. Hot tubs, saunas, and prolonged heat exposure can temporarily impair sperm production and motility. If your partner is contributing sperm, they should avoid significant heat exposure for at least 74 days before the cycle the full sperm maturation window.
Stress management. Chronic stress activates cortisol pathways that suppress reproductive hormone signalling over time. Mindfulness, fertility-specialized therapy, and simply protecting time to rest are all evidence-supported strategies.
Supplements and Medications: What to start, stop, or question
Start early. A quality prenatal with 400-800mcg of folate (methylfolate if you carry an MTHFR variant) should be started at least three months before retrieval. Many protocols also include CoQ10 in ubiquinol form (200-600mg daily) for mitochondrial support the evidence is promising, though not definitive.
Stop some things. High-dose Vitamin A (retinol form), herbal supplements like ashwagandha, dong quai, and vitex, and NSAIDs like ibuprofen can interfere with ovulation, implantation, or the hormonal environment. Tell your fertility team about everything you're taking.
Question the market.The fertility supplement space is full of products promising more than they can deliver. If something claims to triple your success rate, it can't. Spend your money on food, sleep, and a registered dietitian. The evidence behind those is stronger than most supplements on the shelf.
For returning patients: You're not starting over
If you've been through this before, a failed transfer, a loss, a cycle that just didn't work, you're not beginning from zero. You're beginning with data.
You know how your body responded to stimulation. You know what your clinic expects. You have cycle reports, lived experience, and a clearer sense of what to expect. That matters.
What you may need to consciously set down: comparison to your previous cycle. The expectation that this one will mirror the last. The belief that suffering more or preparing harder improves the odds.
Preparing harder is not the same as preparing better. Rest, nourishment, and psychological safety are preparation. The failed cycle was not a verdict. It was one data point in a process that medicine still doesn't fully understand.
Common myths about summer cycles
"Summer heat affects egg quality."Internal body temperature is tightly regulated. Ambient heat doesn't meaningfully affect follicular development in healthy women. The heat concern is primarily about sperm.
"I should delay my cycle to avoid summer scheduling." Most reputable clinics can accommodate monitoring appointments with some flexibility. Talk to your clinic openly rather than quietly delaying your cycle.
"A positive attitude improves outcomes." There's no good evidence that positive thinking changes clinical results. This myth places unfair emotional burden on patients who are already struggling. Your emotional state doesn't determine your embryo quality.
"I need to reach my perfect weight first." Metabolic stability matters more than a number on a scale. Perfectionism around weight causes real delays in care. Discuss timing honestly with your RE.
The Emotional reality of a summer cycle
You don't have to pretend summer feels fine. It often doesn't. Social events, bump announcements, and the relentless cheerfulness of the season can be genuinely hard to navigate when you're in the middle of fertility treatment.
Some things that help: being selective about which events you attend and giving yourself permission to leave. Having a prepared response for intrusive questions ("We're focusing on our health right now" is complete and doesn't invite follow-up). Connecting with others who get it online or in person. And telling one trusted person what you actually need.
The data, across populations, supports hope. Most people who pursue IVF with persistence eventually bring a baby home. The path is rarely straight. But it's not as closed as the hardest moments make it feel.
The Bottom Line
This isn't about perfection. It's about building the most stable, nourished, rested, and supported version of yourself you can then trusting your body, your clinical team, and the biology that makes this possible.
Focus on protein, blood sugar balance, sleep, walking, Vitamin D, stress management, and connection.
Avoid alcohol, heat exposure (for sperm), unverified supplements, and the myth that willpower determines outcomes.
And if you're struggling emotionally, physically, or both please reach out to your fertility team. You shouldn't be navigating this alone.
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your reproductive endocrinologist for guidance specific to your situation.
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