One of the myths which continues to plague IVF patients is
that of bed rest. This has been propagated for decades, and everyone tells them
to rest after doing a transfer. It's often not just their mother-in-law and
friends - it's often the doctor ( and nurses) as well !
This makes absolutely
no sense , because bed rest is actually bad for patients. It adds to their
emotional stress , because an idle mind is the devil's workshop. When they rest
in bed, they think all day about what could potentially go wrong, and how they
will cope if the pregnancy test comes back as negative. It's bad for their
physiology as well, because their backs hurt ; their muscles become weak , and blood flow to the uterus actually
decreases.
This is why we encourage patients not to take any bed rest
at all, and to continue to lead a normal life ! After all, they aren't really
patients - they are healthy women , and we are just helping them to kick-start
their pregnancy ! Once the embryo is transferred into the uterus, it is as a
safe as a pearl in an oyster. Embryo implantation is a biological process, and
will progress normally and naturally, irrespective of physical activity.
What to find an IVF clinic which respects your time and intelligence ?