Preparing for IVF as a Man? Know Exactly What to Do Every Day.
Private, at-home guidance for the 2–3 months before IVF: make informed choices about sleep, heat, food, drinks, training and stress, on your phone and alongside your clinic's care.
Cycle Decoded is educational lifestyle coaching, not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or acupuncture, and it doesn't create a practitioner-patient relationship. It works alongside your clinic's care, never in place of it.
$149 is a one-time payment for 1 year of accessCreated by Dr. Lejla Fazlicic, D.Ac., L.Ac., licensed acupuncturist with 15+ years in fertility.
Prefer to talk it through? Private Zoom consults with Dr Lejla
A 40-second silent doodle animation with on-screen captions, showing how Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men works on your phone. Educational lifestyle coaching, not medical advice.
Why the months before IVF matter for you
Half of every embryo comes from you. Sperm take about 2 to 3 months to develop, so the sperm used in your cycle are forming in the weeks ahead. Expert guidelines put everyday habits on the list of first steps for men: things like heat, smoking, alcohol and sleep.
Knowing that is the easy part. Doing it every day, around work, friends and the gym, is harder. That's what Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men is for.
Reading this for your partner? Share it with him. It's private, and he can start at home.
Small, doable steps for everyday habits
Keeping things cool
Regular sauna use has been linked with lower sperm measures that recovered after stopping. A pause on the hot tub, the laptop off your lap, breaks on long drives.
Sleep
In 842 men, short and poor-quality sleep was associated with lower sperm movement. A steady bedtime is one of the simplest steps.
Drinks
The difference in semen quality was clearest in daily drinkers, not moderate ones. The goal is occasional, not daily. It doesn't have to be zero.
Smoking and vaping
The habit guidelines name most often. The coach helps you set a quit date, and your doctor can support you.
Training and food
You can keep the gym. Train without overdoing it and eat a normal, balanced week. No strict diet.
Medicines and gym products
The coach doesn't recommend supplements or review medications. Tell your doctor about everything you take, including testosterone and "boosters". Plan any change with your doctor.
Educational only. Ask your clinic what applies to you.
Informed choices, every day
Self-guided, at your own pace.
Answer a few questions
Get your three priorities.
60-second morning check-in
Sleep, food, heat, stress and support.
Today's focus, at the top
What matters most today, never an overhaul.
Why the next 2–3 months count
Sperm take about 2 to 3 months to develop. The habits you keep now are part of the environment the sperm for your next cycle develop in.
Fertility guidelines, including the UK’s NICE guidance (NG257), cover everyday factors for both partners, like smoking, alcohol, weight and heat. Pocket Coach turns that advice into simple daily steps.
Just you and your phone
No clinic visits, no appointments, nothing to download.
On your phone, at home
Works in your browser. Nothing to install.
Encrypted entries
Locked with a key only your password or recovery code can unlock. Not even Dr. Lejla can read them.
Your own account
On the couples plan, each partner has a separate account. Your partner can't see your entries.
A private guide on your phone, a few minutes a day
60-second check-in + today's focus
Sleep, food, drinks, stress. Your answers help you make informed choices for today.
"I'm about to…" cards
A sauna at the gym, a hot tub on vacation, a night out, a hard workout. Open a card first and see your best move.
Week-by-week roadmap
For the months before the cycle.
A summary for your clinic
Something you can share with your doctor or clinic.
Stress management
Short, practical ways to unwind and sleep better in the busy months before IVF.
Choices made with confidence
Everyday choices become informed decisions you make with your clinic's care in mind.
A free call with Dr Lejla
Includes a free 15-minute call with Dr Lejla after you join, for questions about using the program.
Self-guided. Ongoing personal coaching is available separately.
Made for you, built for the two of you
- You, if your partner is preparing for IVF, IUI or conception in the next few months
- You'd rather work on this privately than sit in another waiting room
- You want your own guide, not a list forwarded from her clinic
Works alongside your doctor or fertility clinic, never in place of them. For adults 18+ in the US.
Questions to take to your doctor
Your doctor or clinic may mention a semen analysis or a DNA fragmentation (DFI) test. Only they can say whether you need one and what a result means for you. Dr Lejla does not review or interpret these tests, but the FAQ below explains the terms and the questions worth asking.
What Pocket Coach is, and isn't
It is a daily lifestyle guide, written by Dr Lejla Fazlicic, D.Ac., L.Ac., to use alongside your clinic's care.
It isn't medical care. It doesn't change your protocol, review medications, recommend supplements or interpret test results. And it can't promise an outcome. It helps you take care of the part that's yours to do, one day at a time.
One payment. No subscription.
Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men
- 1 year access
- Your own private account
Cycle Decoded is educational lifestyle coaching, not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or acupuncture, and it doesn't create a practitioner-patient relationship. It works alongside your clinic's care, never in place of it.
Both of you
- 1 year access
- Two separate, private accounts
Cycle Decoded is educational lifestyle coaching, not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or acupuncture, and it doesn't create a practitioner-patient relationship. It works alongside your clinic's care, never in place of it.
- Full refund within 14 days if it isn't right for you.
- Pay over time with Klarna or Affirm at checkout (subject to their approval).
- If your cycle moves, buying again with the same email adds another year.
- Not sure yet? Try it free for 7 days. Email only, no card. Demo entries stay in your browser and are erased after 7 days.
Dr. Lejla Fazlicic, D.Ac., L.Ac. is a Doctor of Acupuncture and an Illinois-licensed acupuncturist with more than 15 years in fertility and pre-IVF preparation. She created Pocket Coach to give both partners clear daily support before treatment. Her work is lifestyle coaching and education alongside physician-led care. She does not diagnose or treat. Read more about Dr. Lejla
Want a longer, personal plan? Book a private Zoom consult
One-on-one video consults to talk through your daily habits and plan. Coaching and education, not medical care.
Questions men ask
How long before IVF should a man start preparing?
Ideally about 2 to 3 months, because sperm take about 2 to 3 months to develop. If your cycle is sooner, you can still start with the time you have. Don't delay treatment to finish a countdown. Follow your clinic's schedule.
What should a man avoid before IVF?
The habits with the clearest evidence are testosterone or steroids, smoking and nicotine, daily drinking, and regular sauna or hot tub use. Many men can keep the gym and their coffee. If you use testosterone or steroids, talk to a urologist before stopping.
Can a man drink alcohol before IVF?
Research points to daily drinking as the issue, more than the occasional beer. The 3-month plan covers what to cut back on. Ask your clinic what applies to you.
Does sleep matter for sperm?
Studies link both short sleep and poor-quality sleep with differences in semen quality. A steady bedtime is one of the simplest things to work on. The daily check-in tracks it.
Are saunas and hot tubs bad before IVF?
Sustained heat on the testicles is linked to effects on sperm, and research suggests the effect is reversible. Many men simply pause saunas and hot tubs during these months. Ordinary workouts and showers aren't the concern.
What is a semen analysis?
A semen analysis is the standard lab test for the male partner. It looks at how many sperm there are, how well they move and their shape. Your doctor or clinic orders it and explains your results. Dr Lejla does not review or interpret semen analysis results. Questions worth asking your doctor: do I need one before our cycle, do I need a repeat, and what would change our plan?
What is a DFI test, and should I ask about one?
DFI stands for DNA fragmentation index. It is a separate test that looks at breaks in the genetic material inside sperm, which a standard semen analysis doesn't measure. Guidelines differ on when it's useful, so it's a good question for your urologist or clinic: would a DFI result change our plan, and why or why not? Dr Lejla does not review or interpret DFI results.
What should I ask my doctor before our IVF cycle?
Good questions include: do I need a semen analysis before our cycle, or a repeat? Would a DFI test add anything for us? Should I see a urologist first? Is there anything I take, including supplements, testosterone or gym products, that I should review with you? How many days of abstinence do you want before the sample? Your clinic's answers come first.
Can Dr Lejla look at my test results?
No. Dr Lejla is a licensed acupuncturist and lifestyle coach, and reviewing or interpreting semen analysis or DFI results is outside her scope. Your doctor or fertility clinic is the right place for that. Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men focuses on daily habits, like heat, sleep, drinks and training, that you can work on privately at home, alongside your clinic's care.
What do guidelines say about lifestyle and DFI?
NICE (NG257) advises against offering supplements, antioxidants or medical treatments to improve it. An international expert consensus suggests starting with lifestyle (not smoking, cutting alcohol, avoiding heat) while a urologist checks for causes such as a varicocele or an infection. No program can promise a result, including this one.
My semen analysis was normal. Do I still need to prepare?
A standard semen analysis doesn't measure everything, and the habits above matter for general health either way. Many men preparing for IVF use these months to cover the basics. Your clinic can tell you whether any further testing makes sense.
Is Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men medical care?
No. It's self-guided lifestyle coaching that works alongside your doctor or fertility clinic. It does not diagnose, treat or predict any condition or outcome.
Can Dr. Lejla or my partner see what I enter?
No. Your entries are encrypted, so only your password or recovery code can unlock them, and each partner has a separate account.
Start today, privately, at home
A daily guide for lifestyle balance in the months before IVF. One-time payment, 1 year of access. Alongside your clinic's care.
Cycle Decoded is educational lifestyle coaching, not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or acupuncture, and it doesn't create a practitioner-patient relationship. It works alongside your clinic's care, never in place of it.
Just want the basics first? Get the free guide, What to Avoid Before IVF, and What You Can Keep.
References
- Heller CG, Clermont Y. Spermatogenesis in man: an estimate of its duration. Science. 1963;140:184–186. doi
- Misell LM, et al. A stable isotope–mass spectrometric method for measuring human spermatogenesis kinetics in vivo. J Urol. 2006. doi
- AUA/ASRM. Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility in Men (2020; amended 2024). auanet.org; Brannigan RE, et al. J Urol. 2024;212(6):789–799. doi
- European Association of Urology. EAU Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2025. uroweb.org
- Çayan S, Farkouh A, Agarwal A, et al. Global Andrology Forum Clinical Guidelines on the Relevance of Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Reproductive Medicine. World J Mens Health. doi
- Garolla A, et al. Seminal and molecular evidence that sauna exposure affects human spermatogenesis. Hum Reprod. 2013. doi
- Ricci E, et al. Semen quality and alcohol intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online. 2017. doi
- Chen HG, et al. Sleep duration and quality in relation to semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors. Environ Int. 2020. doi
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Fertility problems: assessment and treatment (NG257). Advice about factors that can affect fertility. nice.org.uk
This page is for education only and isn't medical advice. Dr Lejla Fazlicic, D.Ac., L.Ac., is a licensed acupuncturist in Illinois. Always check with your doctor or fertility clinic before changing medicines or supplements. Pre-IVF Pocket Coach for Men is self-guided lifestyle coaching that works alongside your doctor or fertility clinic. It does not diagnose, treat or predict any condition or outcome.