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What to do and what not to do after the embryo transfer?

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7 fertility expert(s) answered this question

Answer from: Patricio Calamera, MD, MSc, ObGyn

Gynaecologist, Specialist in Reproductive Medicine
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Basically what we tell our patients now after an embryo transfer is to have a normal life. Don’t do anything extra of their regular activities but we don’t recommend anymore the rest that we were used to. We started off shortening the timing of rest after embryo transfer and nowadays, we know that rest or exercise actually does not affect or improve implantation rate. So, basically a normal regular life without any excesses.

Answer from: Raúl Olivares, MD

Gynaecologist, Medical Director & Owner
Barcelona IVF
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We don’t recommend a lot of things after the embryo transfer. We just recommend resting for a couple of hours immediately after. We know that passing the catheter may increase the number of contractions in the uterus. And the more contractions the patient has, the lower the implantation rates are going to be. So for these two hours, we try to keep you relaxed. But after that, we believe that patients can do very little to increase or decrease pregnancy rates.

Women who get pregnant naturally keep leading a completely normal life until they are aware of the pregnancy. So this is very similar to what we recommend. What we usually tell them is to consider themselves pregnant and do what pregnant women are supposed to do. This means leading a normal life and trying to have some restrictions in regard to physical activities or being exposed to toxins. But other than that, just lead a normal life and wait for the pregnancy test.

Answer from: Evangelos Sakkas, MD, MsC

Gynaecologist, Head of Gyncare IVF Clinic
Gyncare IVF Clinic
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A woman after an embryo transfer she should be let’s say be cool. Do not be afraid of nothing and do whatever she likes. Of course, I never advise patients to go for running or swimming or whatever but of course being after an embryo transfer coughing after embryo transfer, traveling after the transfer are not problems for the success. Nature is very very well created – that’s the truth and she knows that if everything works perfectly, if the blastocyst is okay, the endometrium is okay, if the patient is okay, then whatever the patient does after the embryo transfer, the pregnancy will go perfectly.
On the other hand, if the blastocyst is not good or the endometrium is not good or whatever. If something is not destined to go well, the patient could also remain, let’s say, on her bed for five days – she would not be pregnant. I will always tell this story that I had a patient in Belgium that she had the egg retrieved, she had the transfer and the day of the transfer she had an urgent laparoscopy for an ovarian torsion. So, let’s say, worse than that it couldn’t be – laparoscopy after the embryo transfer and I assure you that she delivered after nine months. So, if she has to be pregnant, it’s her destiny she will be pregnant.

Answer from: Daniel Alexander, MUDr

Gynaecologist, Physician
Gennet
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The most important thing to do is to use all the medication according to protocol. If you are in a fresh or frozen cycle, the most important and number one thing is to use the medication till the pregnancy stays for the first two weeks according to the protocol. And whether you have to rest or whether you have to lie in bed at home, or if you can go to your work; there is not a single answer to this. We recommend our patients resting for a couple of minutes after the transfer here at the clinic, and then, they can leave the clinic and go home. And, we recommend if possible, having a couple of days off. After the transfer, we do not recommend hot baths till the pregnancy test, we recommend just showers.

Answer from: Maria Arquè, MD, PhD

Gynaecologist, Reproductive Specialist
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What we recommend on the day of the embryo transfer is that you have gentle activity. You can go out for a walk, you can go out for lunch but avoid any physical effort and continue with the medications as advised by your doctor. During the following days, after the embryo transfer, we recommend avoiding any physical efforts and sexual intercourse for about 3-4 days. Also, avoid being submerged in water – so avoid baths and going to a swimming pool. Apart from that, you can generally resume your normal activity.

The other thing to consider is to avoid drinking alcohol because you might already be pregnant, hopefully. And it is also very important to try to stay as distracted as possible. While you’re waiting for the pregnancy test, those 2 weeks are usually very challenging from an emotional and psychological perspective. Therefore, we think that during this time, it is very important to do things that you simply like to do.

Answer from: Ruth Sánchez, MD

Gynaecologist, Fertility Specialist
UR Vistahermosa
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After the transfer, the patient would be kept resting here in the clinic for, at least, 20 to 30 minutes. After that, she can go home and continue with her normal activity: she can go for a walk, she can drive and even can go to work. We recommend avoiding sports with abdominal contractions or with deep impact but going for a walk is a very good sport to do. We also recommend avoiding immersions, bathtubs, swimming pools, or going to the beach so that we can avoid infections and possible interferences with the medication that is, in the end, administered vaginally. We recommend avoiding sexual intercourse till the pregnancy test is performed in order to avoid uterine contractions but after that, there’s no problem with having sexual intercourse. Talking about the food, you can eat whatever you want but we recommend restricting the salt intake and we recommend drinking plenty of fluids, and observing if the urine is normal. We also recommend having a very positive attitude towards this situation, try to be not so anxious, and not too obsessed with the results. Doing leisure activities is a very good technique in order to think about other things and to make this waiting time till the pregnancy test more bearable.

Answer from: Marisa Lacácer García, MD

Gynaecologist, Obstetrician, Director and Head of the Assisted Reproduction Unit
Eva Fertility Clinics
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When we do an embryo transfer, we can do some things in order to help the embryos to implant. One of them is to rest. It is true that resting, for like half an hour, is good for the embryos to implant. But we recommend relaxing or have a rest for one or two days after the transfer because this can help a little more. Then it is important not to have sex because this can produce contractions in the uterus, and it can make the implantation difficult.

You must drink about 2-3 litres of water per day because this can relax the uterus and help the implantation. You also have to follow with all the medications to support the luteal phase and to help the embryos to implant. It is also important not to have a bath five days after the embryo transfer. So you can have a shower but not a bath because this can help with the implantation.

About this question:

What are the dos and don’ts after the embryo transfer?

What are the recommendations post embryo transfer? What can be done to maximize the chances of successful implantation?

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