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Antibiotics – Is it Safe to Take Them During Embryo Transfer?

The 2WW is the crucial period in an IVF cycle and most women walk on eggs in these 15 days. They are scared that in case they do something wrong post the embryo transfer, their embryos will get harmed. This is also one of the reasons why some women also take leave from work and only stay at home during that time; others are frustrated with the fact that they aren’t able to take any medications during the 2WW.

The logic behind this concern

This concern is a perfectly logical one. Everyone is aware that a pregnant woman shouldn’t be taking too many medications as it can harm her unborn child. And this is the logic most women are applying with reference to embryo transfer. They feel that any medications they take will result in birth defects in the child or that they will cause some harm to the embryo.

The facts

The fact is to the contrary- there is no harm caused if woman takes any medication post an embryo transfer in the course of the 2WW (before the hCG test shows up as positive). Though this doesn’t really sound logical, when you ponder on it a bit, it is very logical.

When a woman has sex in her bedroom, doctors don’t really tell them to abstain from taking medications even if they are potentially pregnant. It is very safe for women to take these medicines, regardless of whether the embryo has been made in vivo or in vitro. The manner in which the embryo has been transferred has no bearing whatsoever on how it will implant and what will affect it and what wont.

The embryo comes to no harm

There is a specific reason as to why the embryos come to no harm. Before the pregnancy test is positive, the embryo still hasn’t established a blood supply from the maternal circulation. It means that the amount of drugs that the mother consumes and that end up reaching the embryo are so negligible, that they don’t really cause any harm.

And so, if you have just gone through embryo transfer, you don’t really need to worry if you sometimes have to take that antibiotic or even an antimalarial. It’s perfectly safe for you to do so and no harm will come to your embryos.

Not happy with the attention you are getting from your IVF clinic? Need more information? Please send me your medical details by filling in the form atwww.drmalpani.com/free-second-opinionso that I can guide you!

Authored by : Dr Aniruddha Malpani, MD and reviewed by Dr Anjali Malpani.